diff --git a/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.sip b/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.sip
index ec0240ce9f9..ffce3c11ea1 100644
--- a/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.sip
+++ b/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.sip
@@ -26,8 +26,28 @@ class QgsProcessingContext
 %End
   public:
 
+    enum Flag
+    {
+      UseSelection,
+    };
+    typedef QFlags<QgsProcessingContext::Flag> Flags;
+
+
     QgsProcessingContext();
 
+    QgsProcessingContext::Flags flags() const;
+%Docstring
+ Returns any flags set in the context.
+ \see setFlags()
+ :rtype: QgsProcessingContext.Flags
+%End
+
+    void setFlags( const QgsProcessingContext::Flags &flags );
+%Docstring
+ Sets ``flags`` for the context.
+ \see flags()
+%End
+
     QgsProject *project() const;
 %Docstring
  Returns the project in which the algorithm is being executed.
@@ -58,6 +78,15 @@ class QgsProcessingContext
 
 
 
+
+
+QFlags<QgsProcessingContext::Flag> operator|(QgsProcessingContext::Flag f1, QFlags<QgsProcessingContext::Flag> f2);
+
+
+
+
+
+
 /************************************************************************
  * This file has been generated automatically from                      *
  *                                                                      *
@@ -65,4 +94,3 @@ class QgsProcessingContext
  *                                                                      *
  * Do not edit manually ! Edit header and run scripts/sipify.pl again   *
  ************************************************************************/
-
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py b/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py
index d75155ffaac..4103015e081 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/tools/general.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from qgis.core import (QgsApplication,
 from processing.core.Processing import Processing
 from processing.core.parameters import ParameterSelection
 from processing.gui.Postprocessing import handleAlgorithmResults
+from processing.core.ProcessingConfig import ProcessingConfig
 
 
 def algorithmOptions(id):
@@ -102,4 +103,9 @@ def createContext():
     """
     context = QgsProcessingContext()
     context.setProject(QgsProject.instance())
+
+    use_selection = ProcessingConfig.getSetting(ProcessingConfig.USE_SELECTED)
+    if use_selection:
+        context.setFlags(QgsProcessingContext.UseSelection)
+
     return context
diff --git a/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.h b/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.h
index 872a83a402b..0e371ba1637 100644
--- a/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.h
+++ b/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingcontext.h
@@ -37,8 +37,27 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsProcessingContext
 {
   public:
 
+    //! Flags that affect how processing algorithms are run
+    enum Flag
+    {
+      UseSelection = 1 << 0,  //!< Filter to selected features when running algorithms
+    };
+    Q_DECLARE_FLAGS( Flags, Flag )
+
     QgsProcessingContext() = default;
 
+    /**
+     * Returns any flags set in the context.
+     * \see setFlags()
+     */
+    QgsProcessingContext::Flags flags() const { return mFlags; }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets \a flags for the context.
+     * \see flags()
+     */
+    void setFlags( const QgsProcessingContext::Flags &flags ) { mFlags = flags; }
+
     /**
      * Returns the project in which the algorithm is being executed.
      * \see setProject()
@@ -63,12 +82,22 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsProcessingContext
 
   private:
 
+    QgsProcessingContext::Flags mFlags = 0;
+
     QPointer< QgsProject > mProject;
 
     QgsExpressionContext mExpressionContext;
 
 };
 
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Q_DECLARE_OPERATORS_FOR_FLAGS( QgsProcessingContext::Flags )
+
 #endif // QGSPROCESSINGPARAMETERS_H