diff --git a/app/common/UserAPI.ts b/app/common/UserAPI.ts
index 4e1398d0..a9059094 100644
--- a/app/common/UserAPI.ts
+++ b/app/common/UserAPI.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {BaseAPI, IOptions} from 'app/common/BaseAPI';
 import {BillingAPI, BillingAPIImpl} from 'app/common/BillingAPI';
 import {BrowserSettings} from 'app/common/BrowserSettings';
 import {BulkColValues, TableColValues, UserAction} from 'app/common/DocActions';
-import {DocCreationInfo} from 'app/common/DocListAPI';
+import {DocCreationInfo, OpenDocMode} from 'app/common/DocListAPI';
 import {Features} from 'app/common/Features';
 import {isClient} from 'app/common/gristUrls';
 import {FullUser} from 'app/common/LoginSessionAPI';
@@ -104,11 +104,22 @@ export interface Workspace extends WorkspaceProperties {
   isSupportWorkspace?: boolean;
 }
 
+// Non-core options for a document.
+// "Non-core" means bundled into a single options column in the database.
+// TODO: consider smoothing over this distinction in the API.
+export interface DocumentOptions {
+  description?: string|null;
+  icon?: string|null;
+  openMode?: OpenDocMode|null;
+}
+
 export interface DocumentProperties extends CommonProperties {
   isPinned: boolean;
   urlId: string|null;
+  options: DocumentOptions|null;
 }
-export const documentPropertyKeys = [...commonPropertyKeys, 'isPinned', 'urlId'];
+
+export const documentPropertyKeys = [...commonPropertyKeys, 'isPinned', 'urlId', 'options'];
 
 export interface Document extends DocumentProperties {
   id: string;
diff --git a/app/gen-server/entity/Document.ts b/app/gen-server/entity/Document.ts
index e3328c0b..661aa337 100644
--- a/app/gen-server/entity/Document.ts
+++ b/app/gen-server/entity/Document.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {ApiError} from 'app/common/ApiError';
 import {Role} from 'app/common/roles';
-import {DocumentProperties, documentPropertyKeys, NEW_DOCUMENT_CODE} from "app/common/UserAPI";
+import {DocumentOptions, DocumentProperties, documentPropertyKeys, NEW_DOCUMENT_CODE} from "app/common/UserAPI";
 import {nativeValues} from 'app/gen-server/lib/values';
 import {Column, Entity, JoinColumn, ManyToOne, OneToMany, PrimaryColumn} from "typeorm";
 import {AclRuleDoc} from "./AclRule";
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ export class Document extends Resource {
   @OneToMany(type => Alias, alias => alias.doc)
   public aliases: Alias[];
 
+  @Column({name: 'options', type: nativeValues.jsonEntityType, nullable: true})
+  public options: DocumentOptions | null;
+
   public checkProperties(props: any): props is Partial<DocumentProperties> {
     return super.checkProperties(props, documentPropertyKeys);
   }
@@ -68,5 +71,45 @@ export class Document extends Resource {
       }
       this.urlId = props.urlId;
     }
+    if (props.options !== undefined) {
+      // Options are merged over the existing state - unless options
+      // object is set to "null", in which case the state is wiped
+      // completely.
+      if (props.options === null) {
+        this.options = null;
+      } else {
+        this.options = this.options || {};
+        if (props.options.description !== undefined) {
+          this.options.description = props.options.description;
+        }
+        if (props.options.openMode !== undefined) {
+          this.options.openMode = props.options.openMode;
+        }
+        if (props.options.icon !== undefined) {
+          this.options.icon = sanitizeIcon(props.options.icon);
+        }
+        // Normalize so that null equates with absence.
+        for (const key of Object.keys(this.options) as Array<keyof DocumentOptions>) {
+          if (this.options[key] === null) {
+            delete this.options[key];
+          }
+        }
+        // Normalize so that no options set equates with absense.
+        if (Object.keys(this.options).length === 0) {
+          this.options = null;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// Check that icon points to an expected location.  This will definitely
+// need changing, it is just a placeholder as the icon feature is developed.
+function sanitizeIcon(icon: string|null) {
+  if (icon === null) { return icon; }
+  const url = new URL(icon);
+  if (url.protocol !== 'https:' || url.host !== 'grist-static.com' || !url.pathname.startsWith('/icons/')) {
+    throw new ApiError('invalid document icon', 400);
   }
+  return url.href;
 }
diff --git a/app/gen-server/migration/1626369037484-DocOptions.ts b/app/gen-server/migration/1626369037484-DocOptions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b032b9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/gen-server/migration/1626369037484-DocOptions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { nativeValues } from 'app/gen-server/lib/values';
+import { MigrationInterface, QueryRunner, TableColumn } from 'typeorm';
+
+export class DocOptions1626369037484 implements MigrationInterface {
+
+  public async up(queryRunner: QueryRunner): Promise<any> {
+    await queryRunner.addColumn('docs', new TableColumn({
+      name: 'options',
+      type: nativeValues.jsonType,
+      isNullable: true,
+    }));
+  }
+
+  public async down(queryRunner: QueryRunner): Promise<any> {
+    await queryRunner.dropColumn('docs', 'options');
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/server/lib/requestUtils.ts b/app/server/lib/requestUtils.ts
index e82bd4fc..41482abc 100644
--- a/app/server/lib/requestUtils.ts
+++ b/app/server/lib/requestUtils.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ export function pruneAPIResult<T>(data: T): T {
       // Do not include removedAt field if it is not set.  It is not relevant to regular
       // situations where the user is working with non-deleted resources.
       if (key === 'removedAt' && value === null) { return undefined; }
+      // Don't bother sending option fields if there are no options set.
+      if (key === 'options' && value === null) { return undefined; }
       return INTERNAL_FIELDS.has(key) ? undefined : value;
     });
   return JSON.parse(output);