diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/fsm.h b/include/osmocom/core/fsm.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..401ee04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/fsm.h
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
+#include <osmocom/core/linuxlist.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/timer.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/utils.h>
+
+/*! \defgroup fsm Finite State Machine abstraction
+ *  @{
+ */
+
+/*! \file fsm.h
+ *  \brief Finite State Machine
+ */
+
+struct osmo_fsm_inst;
+
+enum osmo_fsm_term_cause {
+	/*! \brief terminate because parent terminated */
+	OSMO_FSM_TERM_PARENT,
+	/*! \brief terminate on explicit user request */
+	OSMO_FSM_TERM_REQUEST,
+	/*! \brief regular termination of process */
+	OSMO_FSM_TERM_REGULAR,
+	/*! \brief erroneous termination of process */
+	OSMO_FSM_TERM_ERROR,
+};
+
+/*! \brief description of a rule in the FSM */
+struct osmo_fsm_state {
+	/*! \brief bit-mask of permitted input events for this state */
+	uint32_t in_event_mask;
+	/*! \brief bit-mask to which other states this state may transiton */
+	uint32_t out_state_mask;
+	/*! \brief human-readable name of this state */
+	const char *name;
+	/*! \brief function to be called for events arriving in this state */
+	void (*action)(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, uint32_t event, void *data);
+	/*! \brief function to be called just after entering the state */
+	void (*onenter)(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, uint32_t prev_state);
+	/*! \brief function to be called just before leaving the state */
+	void (*onleave)(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, uint32_t next_state);
+};
+
+/*! \brief a description of an osmocom finite state machine */
+struct osmo_fsm {
+	/*! \brief global list */
+	struct llist_head list;
+	/*! \brief list of instances of this FSM */
+	struct llist_head instances;
+	/*! \brief human readable name */
+	const char *name;
+	/*! \brief table of state transition rules */
+	const struct osmo_fsm_state *states;
+	/*! \brief number of entries in \ref states */
+	unsigned int num_states;
+	/*! \brief bit-mask of events permitted in all states */
+	uint32_t allstate_event_mask;
+	/*! \brief function pointer to be called for allstate events */
+	void (*allstate_action)(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, uint32_t event, void *data);
+	/*! \breif clean-up function, called during termination */
+	void (*cleanup)(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, enum osmo_fsm_term_cause cause);
+	/*! \brief timer call-back for states with time-out */
+	void (*timer_cb)(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi);
+	/*! \brief logging sub-system for this FSM */
+	int log_subsys;
+	/*! \brief human-readable names of events */
+	const struct value_string *event_names;
+};
+
+/*! \brief a single instanceof an osmocom finite state machine */
+struct osmo_fsm_inst {
+	/*! \brief member in the fsm->instances list */
+	struct llist_head list;
+	/*! \brief back-pointer to the FSM of which we are an instance */
+	struct osmo_fsm *fsm;
+	/*! \brief human readable identifier */
+	const char *id;
+	/*! \brief human readable fully-qualified name */
+	const char *name;
+	/*! \brief some private data of this instance */
+	void *priv;
+	/*! \brief logging level for this FSM */
+	int log_level;
+	/*! \brief current state of the FSM */
+	uint32_t state;
+
+	/*! \brief timer number for states with time-out */
+	int T;
+	/*! \brief timer back-end for states with time-out */
+	struct osmo_timer_list timer;
+
+	/*! \brief support for fsm-based procedures */
+	struct {
+		/*! \brief the parent FSM that has created us */
+		struct osmo_fsm_inst *parent;
+		/*! \brief the event we should send upon termination */
+		uint32_t parent_term_event;
+		/*! \brief a list of children processes */
+		struct llist_head children;
+		/*! \brief \ref llist_head linked to parent->proc.children */
+		struct llist_head child;
+	} proc;
+};
+
+void osmo_fsm_log_addr(bool log_addr);
+
+#define LOGPFSM(fi, fmt, args...) \
+		LOGP((fi)->fsm->log_subsys, (fi)->log_level, "%s{%s}: " fmt, \
+			osmo_fsm_inst_name(fi),				    \
+			osmo_fsm_state_name((fi)->fsm, (fi)->state), ## args)
+
+int osmo_fsm_register(struct osmo_fsm *fsm);
+
+struct osmo_fsm_inst *osmo_fsm_inst_alloc(struct osmo_fsm *fsm, void *ctx, void *priv,
+					  int log_level, const char *id);
+struct osmo_fsm_inst *osmo_fsm_inst_alloc_child(struct osmo_fsm *fsm,
+						struct osmo_fsm_inst *parent,
+						uint32_t parent_term_event);
+void osmo_fsm_inst_free(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi);
+
+const char *osmo_fsm_event_name(struct osmo_fsm *fsm, uint32_t event);
+const char *osmo_fsm_inst_name(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi);
+const char *osmo_fsm_state_name(struct osmo_fsm *fsm, uint32_t state);
+
+int osmo_fsm_inst_state_chg(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, uint32_t new_state,
+			    unsigned long timeout_secs, int T);
+int osmo_fsm_inst_dispatch(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi, uint32_t event, void *data);
+
+void osmo_fsm_inst_term(struct osmo_fsm_inst *fi,
+			enum osmo_fsm_term_cause cause, void *data);
+
+/*! @} */