diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c
index eb497257..41150e44 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/main.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <kernel/pmm.h>
 #include <arch/mmu.h>
 #include <kernel/vmm.h>
+#include <kernel/slab.h>
 
 static cpu_t bsp_cpu;
 
@@ -21,5 +22,6 @@ void kernel_entry() {
 	logging_sethook(term_putchar);
 	arch_mmu_init();
 	vmm_init();
+	slab_init();
 	__assert(!"kernel entry end");
 }
diff --git a/kernel-src/include/kernel/slab.h b/kernel-src/include/kernel/slab.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3534fe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel-src/include/kernel/slab.h
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#ifndef _SLAB_H
+#define _SLAB_H
+
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+typedef struct slab_t {
+	struct slab_t *next;
+	struct slab_t *prev;
+	size_t used;
+	void **free;
+} slab_t;
+
+typedef struct scache_t {
+	// TODO lock
+	void (*ctor)(struct scache_t *cache, void *obj);
+	void (*dtor)(struct scache_t *cache, void *obj);
+	slab_t *full;
+	slab_t *partial;
+	slab_t *empty;
+	size_t size;
+	size_t truesize;
+	size_t alignment;
+	size_t slabobjcount;
+} scache_t;
+
+void slab_init();
+
+#endif
diff --git a/kernel-src/mm/slab.c b/kernel-src/mm/slab.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7532f524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel-src/mm/slab.c
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+#include <kernel/slab.h>
+#include <kernel/vmm.h>
+#include <logging.h>
+#include <util.h>
+
+#define SLAB_INDIRECT_CUTOFF 512
+#define SLAB_INDIRECT_COUNT 16
+
+#define SLAB_PAGE_OFFSET (PAGE_SIZE - sizeof(slab_t))
+#define SLAB_DATA_SIZE SLAB_PAGE_OFFSET
+
+#define GET_SLAB(x) (slab_t *)(ROUND_DOWN((uintptr_t)x, PAGE_SIZE) + SLAB_PAGE_OFFSET)
+
+// the cache responsible for allocating all others
+static scache_t selfcache = {
+	.size = sizeof(scache_t),
+	.alignment = 8,
+	.truesize = ROUND_UP(sizeof(scache_t) + sizeof(void **), 8),
+	.slabobjcount = SLAB_DATA_SIZE / ROUND_UP(sizeof(scache_t) + sizeof(void **), 8)
+};
+
+static scache_t *slabcache;
+
+static void initsmall(scache_t *cache, slab_t *slab, void *base) {
+	slab->free = NULL;
+	slab->used = 0;
+
+	for (uintmax_t offset = 0; offset < cache->truesize * cache->slabobjcount; offset += cache->truesize) {
+		if (cache->ctor)
+			cache->ctor(cache, (void *)((uintptr_t)base + offset));
+
+		void **freenext = (void **)((uintptr_t)base + offset + cache->size);
+		*freenext = slab->free;
+		slab->free = freenext;
+	}
+}
+
+static bool growcache(scache_t *cache) {
+	__assert(cache->size < SLAB_INDIRECT_CUTOFF); // TODO bigger than this allocation and support
+	void *_slab = vmm_map(NULL, PAGE_SIZE, VMM_FLAGS_ALLOCATE, ARCH_MMU_FLAG_READ | ARCH_MMU_FLAG_WRITE | ARCH_MMU_FLAG_NOEXEC, NULL);
+	if (_slab == NULL)
+		return false;
+	slab_t *slab = GET_SLAB(_slab);
+
+	initsmall(cache, slab, _slab);
+
+	slab->next = cache->empty;
+	cache->empty = slab;
+	return true;
+}
+
+static void *takeobject(scache_t *cache, slab_t *slab) {
+	if (slab->free == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	void *objend = slab->free;
+	slab->free = *slab->free;
+	slab->used += 1;
+	return (void *)((uintptr_t)objend - cache->size);
+}
+
+void *slab_allocate(scache_t *cache) {
+	// TODO lock
+	slab_t *slab = NULL;
+	if (cache->partial != NULL)
+		slab = cache->partial;
+	else if (cache->empty != NULL)
+		slab = cache->empty;
+
+	void *ret = NULL;
+
+	if (slab == NULL) {
+		if (growcache(cache))
+			slab = cache->empty;
+		else
+			goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	ret = takeobject(cache, slab);
+
+	if (slab == cache->empty) {
+		cache->empty = slab->next;
+		slab->next = cache->partial;
+		cache->partial = slab;
+	}
+
+	if (slab->used == cache->slabobjcount) {
+		cache->partial = slab->next;
+		slab->next = cache->full;
+		cache->full = slab;
+	}
+
+	cleanup:
+	// TODO unlock
+	return ret;
+}
+
+scache_t *slab_newcache(size_t size, size_t alignment, void (*ctor)(scache_t *, void *), void (*dtor)(scache_t *, void *)) {
+	if (alignment == 0)
+		alignment = 8;
+
+	scache_t *cache = slab_allocate(&selfcache);
+	if (cache == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	cache->size = size;
+	cache->alignment = alignment;
+	cache->truesize = ROUND_UP(size + sizeof(void **), alignment);
+	cache->ctor = ctor;
+	cache->dtor = dtor;
+	cache->slabobjcount = size < SLAB_INDIRECT_CUTOFF ? SLAB_DATA_SIZE / cache->truesize : SLAB_INDIRECT_COUNT;
+
+	printf("slab: new cache: size %lu align %lu truesize %lu objcount %lu\n", cache->size, cache->alignment, cache->truesize, cache->slabobjcount);
+
+	return cache;
+}
+
+void slab_init() {
+	slabcache = slab_newcache(sizeof(slab_t), 0, NULL, NULL);
+	__assert(slabcache);
+}