diff --git a/src/driver_core.c b/src/driver_core.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbdf23f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/driver_core.c
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/*! \file reader_pcsc.c
+ * Card reader driver core */
+/*
+ * (C) 2018 by Harald Welte <laforge@gnumonks.org>
+ *
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
+ *
+ * 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 <stdio.h>
+#include <talloc.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/linuxlist.h>
+
+#include "internal.h"
+
+static LLIST_HEAD(g_card_reader_drivers);
+static LLIST_HEAD(g_card_readers);
+
+struct card_reader *card_reader_alloc(void *ctx, const char *name,
+					const struct card_reader_driver *drv, void *drv_handle)
+{
+	struct card_reader *cr = talloc_zero(ctx, struct card_reader);
+	if (!cr)
+		return NULL;
+
+	cr->name = talloc_strdup(ctx, name);
+	cr->drv = drv;
+	cr->drv_handle = drv_handle;
+	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&cr->slots);
+
+	llist_add(&cr->list, &g_card_readers);
+
+	printf("allocated reader '%s'\n", cr->name);
+
+	return cr;
+}
+
+/* allocate a new slot in the given reader */ 
+struct card_reader_slot *card_reader_slot_alloc(struct card_reader *cr, unsigned int slot_num)
+{
+	struct card_reader_slot *cs = talloc_zero(cr, struct card_reader_slot);
+	if (!cs)
+		return NULL;
+
+	cs->reader = cr;
+	llist_add(&cr->list, &cr->slots);
+	cs->num = slot_num;
+
+	return cs;
+}
+
+
+/* register a driver with the core, should typcially be called at start-up */
+void card_reader_driver_register(struct card_reader_driver *drv)
+{
+	llist_add_tail(&drv->list, &g_card_reader_drivers);
+}
+
+/* probe all readers on all drivers */
+void card_readers_probe(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct card_reader_driver *drv;
+
+	llist_for_each_entry(drv, &g_card_reader_drivers, list) {
+		printf("probing driver '%s' for drivers\n", drv->name);
+		drv->ops->probe(ctx);
+	}
+}