diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c
index aa40a797..71d6dfa2 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <arch/hpet.h>
 #include <kernel/timekeeper.h>
 #include <kernel/scheduler.h>
+#include <kernel/vfs.h>
 
 static cpu_t bsp_cpu;
 
@@ -37,5 +38,6 @@ void kernel_entry() {
 	timekeeper_init(arch_hpet_ticks, u);
 	arch_apic_timerinit();
 	sched_init();
+	vfs_init();
 	__assert(!"kernel entry end");
 }
diff --git a/kernel-src/fs/vfs.c b/kernel-src/fs/vfs.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30325d1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel-src/fs/vfs.c
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#include <kernel/vfs.h>
+#include <hashtable.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <logging.h>
+#include <kernel/alloc.h>
+
+static hashtable_t fstable;
+vnode_t *vfsroot;
+
+void vfs_init() {
+	__assert(hashtable_init(&fstable, 20) == 0);
+	vfsroot = alloc(sizeof(vnode_t));
+	__assert(vfsroot);
+}
+
+int vfs_register(vfsops_t *ops, char *name) {
+	return hashtable_set(&fstable, ops, name, strlen(name), true);
+}
+
+int vfs_mount(vnode_t *mounton, char *name, void *data) {
+	vfsops_t *ops;
+	int e = hashtable_get(&fstable, (void **)(&ops), name, strlen(name));
+	if (e)
+		return e;
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/kernel-src/include/kernel/vfs.h b/kernel-src/include/kernel/vfs.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..918ccf75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel-src/include/kernel/vfs.h
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#ifndef _VFS_H
+#define _VFS_h
+
+#include <spinlock.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+// TODO move typedefs to an abi header and use them here
+typedef struct {
+	int uid;
+	int gid;
+} cred_t;
+
+typedef struct vfs_t {
+	struct vfs_t *next;
+	struct vfsops_t *ops;
+	struct vnode_t *nodemountedon;
+	int flags;
+} vfs_t;
+
+#define V_FLAG_ROOT 1
+
+#define V_TYPE_REGULAR	0
+#define V_TYPE_DIR	1
+#define V_TYPE_CHDEV	2
+#define V_TYPE_BLKDEV	3
+#define V_TYPE_FIFO	4
+#define V_TYPE_LINK	5
+#define V_TYPE_SOCKET	6
+
+#define V_FFLAG_READ 1
+#define V_FFLAG_WRITE 2
+
+typedef struct vnode_t {
+	struct vops_t *ops;
+	spinlock_t lock;
+	int refcount;
+	int flags;
+	int type;
+	vfs_t *vfs;
+	vfs_t *vfsmounted;
+} vnode_t;
+
+typedef struct vfsops_t {
+	int (*mount)(vfs_t **vfs, vnode_t *mp, vnode_t *backing, void *data);
+	int (*unmount)(vfs_t *vfs);
+	int (*sync)(vfs_t *vfs);
+	int (*root)(vfs_t *vfs, vnode_t **root);
+} vfsops_t;
+
+typedef struct vops_t {
+	int (*open)(vnode_t **node, int flags, cred_t *cred);
+	int (*close)(vnode_t *node, int flags, cred_t *cred);
+	int (*read)(vnode_t *node, void *buffer, size_t size, uintmax_t offset, int flags, cred_t *cred);
+	int (*write)(vnode_t *node, void *buffer, size_t size, uintmax_t offset, int flags, cred_t *cred);
+	int (*lookup)(vnode_t *node, char *name, vnode_t **result, cred_t *cred);
+	// TODO get/set/poll
+} vops_t;
+
+#define VFS_MOUNT(vfs, mp, b, d) (vfs)->ops->mount(vfs, mp, b, d)
+#define VFS_UNMOUNT(vfs) (vfs)->ops->unmount(vfs)
+#define VFS_ROOT(vfs, r) (vfs)->ops->root(vfs, r)
+#define VFS_SYNC(vfs) (vfs)->ops->sync(vfs)
+
+#define VOP_LOCK(v) spinlock_acquire(&(v)->lock)
+#define VOP_UNLOCK(v) spinlock_release(&(v)->lock)
+
+// these are expected to be called with the vnode locked
+#define VOP_OPEN(v, f, c) (v)->ops->open(node, f, c)
+#define VOP_CLOSE(v, f, c) (v)->ops->close(v, f, c)
+#define VOP_READ(v, b, s, o, f, c) (v)->ops->read(v, b, s, o, f, c)
+#define VOP_WRITE(v, b, s, o, f, c) (v)->ops->write(v, b, s, o, f, c)
+#define VOP_LOOKUP(v, n, r, c) (v)->ops->lookup(v, n, r, c)
+#define VOP_GETATTR(v, a, c) asdfmsadijsadsaddsadsadsadsadsad
+#define VOP_SETATTR(v, a, c) sdfdskafiasdfoidsjfdsjofdsaopdosp
+
+// lock not needed unless atomicity is desired
+#define VOP_POLL(v, p, c) sdfmdsaofidasfdsafdsafdsaofodsajfodis
+#define VOP_HOLD(v) __atomic_add_fetch(&v->refcount, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)
+#define VOP_RELEASE(v) __attomic_sub_fetch(&v->refcount, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+
+extern vnode_t *vfsroot;
+
+void vfs_init();
+int vfs_mount(vnode_t *mounton, char *name, void *data);
+int vfs_register(vfsops_t *vfsops, char *name);
+
+#endif