diff --git a/controller/controller.go b/controller/controller.go
index b714432f0..4471b9016 100644
--- a/controller/controller.go
+++ b/controller/controller.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue"
 
 	"github.com/knative/pkg/kmeta"
@@ -452,3 +453,22 @@ func GetResyncPeriod(ctx context.Context) time.Duration {
 func GetTrackerLease(ctx context.Context) time.Duration {
 	return 3 * GetResyncPeriod(ctx)
 }
+
+// erKey is used to associate record.EventRecorders with contexts.
+type erKey struct{}
+
+// WithEventRecorder attaches the given record.EventRecorder to the provided context
+// in the returned context.
+func WithEventRecorder(ctx context.Context, er record.EventRecorder) context.Context {
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, erKey{}, er)
+}
+
+// GetEventRecorder attempts to look up the record.EventRecorder on a given context.
+// It may return null if none is found.
+func GetEventRecorder(ctx context.Context) record.EventRecorder {
+	untyped := ctx.Value(erKey{})
+	if untyped == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return untyped.(record.EventRecorder)
+}
diff --git a/controller/controller_test.go b/controller/controller_test.go
index 630040247..cb042c251 100644
--- a/controller/controller_test.go
+++ b/controller/controller_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue"
 
 	. "github.com/knative/pkg/controller/testing"
@@ -936,3 +937,17 @@ func TestGetResyncPeriod(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("GetTrackerLease() = %v, wanted %v", got, want)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestGetEventRecorder(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	if got := GetEventRecorder(ctx); got != nil {
+		t.Errorf("GetEventRecorder() = %v, wanted nil", got)
+	}
+
+	ctx = WithEventRecorder(ctx, record.NewFakeRecorder(1000))
+
+	if got := GetEventRecorder(ctx); got == nil {
+		t.Error("GetEventRecorder() = nil, wanted non-nil")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/reconciler/testing/context.go b/reconciler/testing/context.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9692c810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reconciler/testing/context.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Knative Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package testing
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"k8s.io/client-go/rest"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
+
+	"github.com/knative/pkg/controller"
+	"github.com/knative/pkg/injection"
+	logtesting "github.com/knative/pkg/logging/testing"
+)
+
+func SetupFakeContext(t *testing.T) (context.Context, []controller.Informer) {
+	ctx := logtesting.TestContextWithLogger(t)
+	ctx = controller.WithEventRecorder(ctx, record.NewFakeRecorder(1000))
+	return injection.Fake.SetupInformers(ctx, &rest.Config{})
+}