diff --git a/src/counter.c b/src/counter.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fa87ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/counter.c
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/*! \file counter.c
+ * utility routines for keeping some statistics. */
+/*
+ * (C) 2009 by Harald Welte <laforge@gnumonks.org>
+ *
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <osmocom/core/linuxlist.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/talloc.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/counter.h>
+
+static LLIST_HEAD(counters);
+
+void *tall_ctr_ctx;
+
+struct osmo_counter *osmo_counter_alloc(const char *name)
+{
+	struct osmo_counter *ctr = talloc_zero(tall_ctr_ctx, struct osmo_counter);
+
+	if (!ctr)
+		return NULL;
+
+	ctr->name = name;
+	llist_add_tail(&ctr->list, &counters);
+
+	return ctr;
+}
+
+void osmo_counter_free(struct osmo_counter *ctr)
+{
+	llist_del(&ctr->list);
+	talloc_free(ctr);
+}
+
+int osmo_counters_for_each(int (*handle_counter)(struct osmo_counter *, void *),
+			   void *data)
+{
+	struct osmo_counter *ctr;
+	int rc = 0;
+
+	llist_for_each_entry(ctr, &counters, list) {
+		rc = handle_counter(ctr, data);
+		if (rc < 0)
+			return rc;
+	}
+
+	return rc;
+}
+
+struct osmo_counter *osmo_counter_get_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+	struct osmo_counter *ctr;
+
+	llist_for_each_entry(ctr, &counters, list) {
+		if (!strcmp(ctr->name, name))
+			return ctr;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+int osmo_counter_difference(struct osmo_counter *ctr)
+{
+	int delta = ctr->value - ctr->previous;
+	ctr->previous = ctr->value;
+
+	return delta;
+}