diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/AbstractNode.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/AbstractNode.java
index df223b717b..8e6c1de943 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/AbstractNode.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/AbstractNode.java
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.xpath.Attribute;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.xpath.AttributeAxisIterator;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.xpath.DocumentNavigator;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.dfa.DataFlowNode;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.DataMap;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.DataMap.DataKey;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.DataMap.SimpleDataKey;
 
 
 /**
@@ -42,6 +45,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractNode implements Node {
 
     private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(AbstractNode.class.getName());
 
+    private static final SimpleDataKey<Object> LEGACY_USER_DATA = DataMap.simpleDataKey("legacy user data");
+
+    private final DataMap<DataKey<?, ?>> userData = DataMap.newDataMap();
+
     /**
      * @deprecated Use {@link #getParent()}
      */
@@ -73,7 +80,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractNode implements Node {
     @Deprecated
     protected GenericToken lastToken;
     private DataFlowNode dataFlowNode;
-    private Object userData;
     // @Deprecated?
     private String image;
 
@@ -522,12 +528,17 @@ public abstract class AbstractNode implements Node {
 
     @Override
     public Object getUserData() {
-        return userData;
+        return userData.get(LEGACY_USER_DATA);
     }
 
     @Override
     public void setUserData(final Object userData) {
-        this.userData = userData;
+        this.userData.set(LEGACY_USER_DATA, userData);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public DataMap<DataKey<?, ?>> getUserMap() {
+        return userData;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/Node.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/Node.java
index e1571e8a5f..03a7bcbcfc 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/Node.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/ast/Node.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.annotation.InternalApi;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.xpath.Attribute;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.ast.xpath.internal.DeprecatedAttribute;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.dfa.DataFlowNode;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.DataMap;
+import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.DataMap.DataKey;
 
 /**
  * Root interface for all AST nodes. This interface provides only the API
@@ -413,6 +415,14 @@ public interface Node {
     void removeChildAtIndex(int childIndex);
 
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a data map used to store additional information on this node.
+     * This replaces the legacy {@link #getUserData()}/{@link #setUserData(Object)}.
+     *
+     * @return The user data map of this node
+     */
+    DataMap<DataKey<?, ?>> getUserMap();
+
     /**
      * Returns the parent of this node, or null if this is the {@linkplain RootNode root}
      * of the tree.
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/DataMap.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/DataMap.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a38e975bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/util/DataMap.java
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/*
+ * BSD-style license; for more info see http://pmd.sourceforge.net/license.html
+ */
+
+package net.sourceforge.pmd.util;
+
+import java.util.IdentityHashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+/**
+ * An opaque, strongly typed heterogeneous data container.
+ *
+ * @param <K> Type of keys in this map
+ */
+public class DataMap<K> {
+
+    private final Map<DataKey<? extends K, ?>, Object> map = new IdentityHashMap<>();
+
+    private DataMap() {
+
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set the mapping to the given data.
+     *
+     * @param key  Key
+     * @param data Data mapped to the key
+     * @param <T>  Type of the data
+     *
+     * @return Previous value associated with the key (nullable)
+     */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public <T> T set(DataKey<? extends K, ? super T> key, T data) {
+        return (T) map.put(key, data);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieves the data currently mapped to the key.
+     *
+     * @param key Key
+     * @param <T> Type of the data
+     *
+     * @return Value associated with the key (nullable)
+     */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public <T> T get(DataKey<? extends K, ? super T> key) {
+        return (T) map.get(key);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the given key has a non-null value in the map.
+     *
+     * @param key Key
+     *
+     * @return True if some value is set
+     */
+    public boolean isSet(DataKey<? extends K, ?> key) {
+        return map.containsKey(key);
+    }
+
+    public static <K> DataMap<K> newDataMap() {
+        return new DataMap<>();
+    }
+
+    public static <T> SimpleDataKey<T> simpleDataKey(final String name) {
+        return new SimpleDataKey<>(name);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A key for type-safe access into a {@link DataMap}. Data keys use
+     * reference identity and are only compared by reference within
+     * {@link DataMap}.
+     *
+     * @param <K> Type of the family of keys this is a part of
+     * @param <T> Type of the addressed data
+     */
+    public interface DataKey<K extends DataKey<K, T>, T> {
+
+    }
+
+    public static class SimpleDataKey<T> implements DataKey<SimpleDataKey<T>, T> {
+
+        private final String name;
+
+        SimpleDataKey(String name) {
+            this.name = name;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public String toString() {
+            return name;
+        }
+    }
+}