diff --git a/internal/entities/handlers/message/message.go b/internal/entities/handlers/message/message.go
index c7e2743b7..a9636b9ee 100644
--- a/internal/entities/handlers/message/message.go
+++ b/internal/entities/handlers/message/message.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ type TypedProps struct {
 // EntityHint is a hint that is used to help the entity handler find the entity.
 type EntityHint struct {
 	ProviderImplementsHint string `json:"provider_implements_hint"`
+	ProviderClassHint      string `json:"provider_class_hint"`
 }
 
 // HandleEntityAndDoMessage is a message that is sent to the entity handler to refresh an entity and perform an action.
@@ -69,11 +70,19 @@ func (e *HandleEntityAndDoMessage) WithOwner(ownerType v1.Entity, ownerProps *pr
 }
 
 // WithProviderImplementsHint sets the provider hint for the entity that will be used when looking up the entity.
+// to the provider implements hint
 func (e *HandleEntityAndDoMessage) WithProviderImplementsHint(providerHint string) *HandleEntityAndDoMessage {
 	e.Hint.ProviderImplementsHint = providerHint
 	return e
 }
 
+// WithProviderClassHint sets the provider hint for the entity that will be used when looking up the entity.
+// to the provider class
+func (e *HandleEntityAndDoMessage) WithProviderClassHint(providerClassHint string) *HandleEntityAndDoMessage {
+	e.Hint.ProviderClassHint = providerClassHint
+	return e
+}
+
 // ToEntityRefreshAndDo converts a Watermill message to a HandleEntityAndDoMessage struct.
 func ToEntityRefreshAndDo(msg *message.Message) (*HandleEntityAndDoMessage, error) {
 	entMsg := &HandleEntityAndDoMessage{}
diff --git a/internal/entities/handlers/message/message_test.go b/internal/entities/handlers/message/message_test.go
index 76cf2a23c..4b851f3c1 100644
--- a/internal/entities/handlers/message/message_test.go
+++ b/internal/entities/handlers/message/message_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
+	"github.com/stacklok/minder/internal/db"
 	"github.com/stacklok/minder/internal/entities/properties"
 	v1 "github.com/stacklok/minder/pkg/api/protobuf/go/minder/v1"
 )
@@ -31,12 +32,13 @@ func TestEntityRefreshAndDoMessageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	scenarios := []struct {
-		name         string
-		props        map[string]any
-		entType      v1.Entity
-		ownerProps   map[string]any
-		ownerType    v1.Entity
-		providerHint string
+		name          string
+		props         map[string]any
+		entType       v1.Entity
+		ownerProps    map[string]any
+		ownerType     v1.Entity
+		providerHint  string
+		providerClass string
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "Valid repository entity",
@@ -44,8 +46,9 @@ func TestEntityRefreshAndDoMessageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 				"id":   "123",
 				"name": "test-repo",
 			},
-			entType:      v1.Entity_ENTITY_REPOSITORIES,
-			providerHint: "github",
+			entType:       v1.Entity_ENTITY_REPOSITORIES,
+			providerHint:  "github",
+			providerClass: string(db.ProviderClassGithub),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Valid artifact entity",
@@ -57,8 +60,9 @@ func TestEntityRefreshAndDoMessageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 			ownerProps: map[string]any{
 				"id": "123",
 			},
-			ownerType:    v1.Entity_ENTITY_REPOSITORIES,
-			providerHint: "docker",
+			ownerType:     v1.Entity_ENTITY_REPOSITORIES,
+			providerHint:  "docker",
+			providerClass: string(db.ProviderClassDockerhub),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Valid pull request entity",
@@ -69,8 +73,9 @@ func TestEntityRefreshAndDoMessageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 			ownerProps: map[string]any{
 				"id": "123",
 			},
-			ownerType:    v1.Entity_ENTITY_REPOSITORIES,
-			providerHint: "github",
+			ownerType:     v1.Entity_ENTITY_REPOSITORIES,
+			providerHint:  "github",
+			providerClass: string(db.ProviderClassGithub),
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -83,7 +88,8 @@ func TestEntityRefreshAndDoMessageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 
 			original := NewEntityRefreshAndDoMessage().
 				WithEntity(sc.entType, props).
-				WithProviderImplementsHint(sc.providerHint)
+				WithProviderImplementsHint(sc.providerHint).
+				WithProviderClassHint(sc.providerClass)
 
 			if sc.ownerProps != nil {
 				ownerProps, err := properties.NewProperties(sc.ownerProps)
@@ -100,6 +106,7 @@ func TestEntityRefreshAndDoMessageRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 			assert.Equal(t, original.Entity.GetByProps, roundTrip.Entity.GetByProps)
 			assert.Equal(t, original.Entity.Type, roundTrip.Entity.Type)
 			assert.Equal(t, original.Hint.ProviderImplementsHint, roundTrip.Hint.ProviderImplementsHint)
+			assert.Equal(t, original.Hint.ProviderClassHint, roundTrip.Hint.ProviderClassHint)
 			if original.Originator.Type != v1.Entity_ENTITY_UNSPECIFIED {
 				assert.Equal(t, original.Originator.GetByProps, roundTrip.Originator.GetByProps)
 				assert.Equal(t, original.Originator.Type, roundTrip.Originator.Type)
diff --git a/internal/entities/handlers/strategies/entity/common.go b/internal/entities/handlers/strategies/entity/common.go
index b9999acd6..8de8da08d 100644
--- a/internal/entities/handlers/strategies/entity/common.go
+++ b/internal/entities/handlers/strategies/entity/common.go
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ func getEntityInner(
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error scanning provider type: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
+	if hint.ProviderClassHint != "" {
+		svcHint.ProviderClass.Valid = true
+		if err := svcHint.ProviderClass.ProviderClass.Scan(hint.ProviderClassHint); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error scanning provider class: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
 
 	lookupProperties, err := properties.NewProperties(entPropMap)
 	if err != nil {