diff --git a/src/vpp-api/pneum/pneum.c b/src/vpp-api/pneum/pneum.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbae5cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vpp-api/pneum/pneum.c
@@ -0,0 +1,488 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/mman.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <vnet/vnet.h>
+#include <vlib/vlib.h>
+#include <vlib/unix/unix.h>
+#include <vlibapi/api.h>
+#include <vlibmemory/api.h>
+
+#include <vpp/api/vpe_msg_enum.h>
+
+#include "pneum.h"
+
+/*
+ * Asynchronous mode:
+ *  Client registers a callback. All messages are sent to the callback.
+ * Synchronous mode:
+ *  Client calls blocking read().
+ *  Clients are expected to collate events on a queue.
+ *  pneum_write() -> suspends RX thread
+ *  pneum_read() -> resumes RX thread
+ */
+
+#define vl_typedefs             /* define message structures */
+#include <vpp/api/vpe_all_api_h.h>
+#undef vl_typedefs
+
+#define vl_endianfun             /* define message structures */
+#include <vpp/api/vpe_all_api_h.h>
+#undef vl_endianfun
+
+vlib_main_t vlib_global_main;
+vlib_main_t **vlib_mains;
+
+typedef struct {
+  u8 connected_to_vlib;
+  pthread_t rx_thread_handle;
+  pthread_t timeout_thread_handle;
+  pthread_mutex_t queue_lock;
+  pthread_cond_t suspend_cv;
+  pthread_cond_t resume_cv;
+  pthread_mutex_t timeout_lock;
+  pthread_cond_t timeout_cv;
+  pthread_cond_t timeout_cancel_cv;
+  pthread_cond_t terminate_cv;
+} pneum_main_t;
+
+pneum_main_t pneum_main;
+pneum_callback_t pneum_callback;
+u16 read_timeout = 0;
+bool rx_is_running = false;
+
+static void
+init (void)
+{
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  memset(pm, 0, sizeof(*pm));
+  pthread_mutex_init(&pm->queue_lock, NULL);
+  pthread_cond_init(&pm->suspend_cv, NULL);
+  pthread_cond_init(&pm->resume_cv, NULL);
+  pthread_mutex_init(&pm->timeout_lock, NULL);
+  pthread_cond_init(&pm->timeout_cv, NULL);
+  pthread_cond_init(&pm->timeout_cancel_cv, NULL);
+  pthread_cond_init(&pm->terminate_cv, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+cleanup (void)
+{
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  pthread_cond_destroy(&pm->suspend_cv);
+  pthread_cond_destroy(&pm->resume_cv);
+  pthread_cond_destroy(&pm->timeout_cv);
+  pthread_cond_destroy(&pm->timeout_cancel_cv);
+  pthread_cond_destroy(&pm->terminate_cv);
+  pthread_mutex_destroy(&pm->queue_lock);
+  pthread_mutex_destroy(&pm->timeout_lock);
+  memset (pm, 0, sizeof (*pm));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Satisfy external references when -lvlib is not available.
+ */
+void vlib_cli_output (struct vlib_main_t * vm, char * fmt, ...)
+{
+  clib_warning ("vlib_cli_output called...");
+}
+
+void
+pneum_free (void * msg)
+{
+  vl_msg_api_free (msg);
+}
+
+static void
+pneum_api_handler (void *msg)
+{
+  u16 id = ntohs(*((u16 *)msg));
+  msgbuf_t *msgbuf = (msgbuf_t *)(((u8 *)msg) - offsetof(msgbuf_t, data));
+  int l = ntohl(msgbuf->data_len);
+  if (l == 0)
+    clib_warning("Message ID %d has wrong length: %d\n", id, l);
+
+  /* Call Python callback */
+  ASSERT(pneum_callback);
+  (pneum_callback)(msg, l);
+  pneum_free(msg);
+}
+
+static void *
+pneum_rx_thread_fn (void *arg)
+{
+  unix_shared_memory_queue_t *q;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  uword msg;
+
+  q = am->vl_input_queue;
+
+  while (1)
+    while (!unix_shared_memory_queue_sub(q, (u8 *)&msg, 0))
+      {
+	u16 id = ntohs(*((u16 *)msg));
+	switch (id) {
+	case VL_API_RX_THREAD_EXIT:
+	  vl_msg_api_free((void *) msg);
+	  /* signal waiting threads that this thread is about to terminate */
+	  pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->queue_lock);
+	  pthread_cond_signal(&pm->terminate_cv);
+	  pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->queue_lock);
+	  pthread_exit(0);
+	  return 0;
+	  break;
+
+	case VL_API_MEMCLNT_RX_THREAD_SUSPEND:
+	  vl_msg_api_free((void * )msg);
+	  /* Suspend thread and signal reader */
+	  pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->queue_lock);
+	  pthread_cond_signal(&pm->suspend_cv);
+	  /* Wait for the resume signal */
+	  pthread_cond_wait (&pm->resume_cv, &pm->queue_lock);
+	  pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->queue_lock);
+	  break;
+
+	case VL_API_MEMCLNT_READ_TIMEOUT:
+	  clib_warning("Received read timeout in async thread\n");
+	  vl_msg_api_free((void *) msg);
+	  break;
+
+	default:
+	  pneum_api_handler((void *)msg);
+	}
+      }
+}
+
+static void *
+pneum_timeout_thread_fn (void *arg)
+{
+  vl_api_memclnt_read_timeout_t *ep;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  struct timespec ts;
+  struct timeval tv;
+  u16 timeout;
+  int rv;
+
+  while (1)
+    {
+      /* Wait for poke */
+      pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->timeout_lock);
+      pthread_cond_wait (&pm->timeout_cv, &pm->timeout_lock);
+      timeout = read_timeout;
+      gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
+      ts.tv_sec = tv.tv_sec + timeout;
+      ts.tv_nsec = 0;
+      rv = pthread_cond_timedwait (&pm->timeout_cancel_cv,
+				   &pm->timeout_lock, &ts);
+      pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->timeout_lock);
+      if (rv == ETIMEDOUT)
+	{
+	  ep = vl_msg_api_alloc (sizeof (*ep));
+	  ep->_vl_msg_id = ntohs(VL_API_MEMCLNT_READ_TIMEOUT);
+	  vl_msg_api_send_shmem(am->vl_input_queue, (u8 *)&ep);
+	}
+    }
+  pthread_exit(0);
+}
+
+void
+pneum_rx_suspend (void)
+{
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  vl_api_memclnt_rx_thread_suspend_t *ep;
+
+  if (!pm->rx_thread_handle) return;
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->queue_lock);
+  if (rx_is_running)
+    {
+      ep = vl_msg_api_alloc (sizeof (*ep));
+      ep->_vl_msg_id = ntohs(VL_API_MEMCLNT_RX_THREAD_SUSPEND);
+      vl_msg_api_send_shmem(am->vl_input_queue, (u8 *)&ep);
+      /* Wait for RX thread to tell us it has suspendend */
+      pthread_cond_wait(&pm->suspend_cv, &pm->queue_lock);
+      rx_is_running = false;
+    }
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->queue_lock);
+}
+
+void
+pneum_rx_resume (void)
+{
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  if (!pm->rx_thread_handle) return;
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->queue_lock);
+  if (rx_is_running) return;
+  pthread_cond_signal(&pm->resume_cv);
+  rx_is_running = true;
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->queue_lock);
+}
+
+static uword *
+pneum_msg_table_get_hash (void)
+{
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  return (am->msg_index_by_name_and_crc);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_msg_table_size(void)
+{
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  return hash_elts(am->msg_index_by_name_and_crc);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_connect (char * name, char * chroot_prefix, pneum_callback_t cb,
+               int rx_qlen)
+{
+  int rv = 0;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+
+  init();
+  if (chroot_prefix != NULL)
+    vl_set_memory_root_path (chroot_prefix);
+
+  if ((rv = vl_client_api_map("/vpe-api"))) {
+    clib_warning ("vl_client_api map rv %d", rv);
+    return rv;
+  }
+
+  if (vl_client_connect(name, 0, rx_qlen) < 0) {
+    vl_client_api_unmap();
+    return (-1);
+  }
+
+  if (cb) {
+    /* Start the rx queue thread */
+    rv = pthread_create(&pm->rx_thread_handle, NULL, pneum_rx_thread_fn, 0);
+    if (rv) {
+      clib_warning("pthread_create returned %d", rv);
+      vl_client_api_unmap();
+      return (-1);
+    }
+    pneum_callback = cb;
+    rx_is_running = true;
+  }
+
+  /* Start read timeout thread */
+  rv = pthread_create(&pm->timeout_thread_handle, NULL,
+		      pneum_timeout_thread_fn, 0);
+  if (rv) {
+    clib_warning("pthread_create returned %d", rv);
+    vl_client_api_unmap();
+    return (-1);
+  }
+
+  pm->connected_to_vlib = 1;
+
+  return (0);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_disconnect (void)
+{
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+
+  if (!pm->connected_to_vlib) return 0;
+
+  if (pm->rx_thread_handle) {
+    vl_api_rx_thread_exit_t *ep;
+    uword junk;
+    ep = vl_msg_api_alloc (sizeof (*ep));
+    ep->_vl_msg_id = ntohs(VL_API_RX_THREAD_EXIT);
+    vl_msg_api_send_shmem(am->vl_input_queue, (u8 *)&ep);
+
+    /* wait (with timeout) until RX thread has finished */
+    struct timespec ts;
+    struct timeval tv;
+    gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
+    ts.tv_sec = tv.tv_sec + 5;
+    ts.tv_nsec = 0;
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->queue_lock);
+    int rv = pthread_cond_timedwait(&pm->terminate_cv, &pm->queue_lock, &ts);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->queue_lock);
+    /* now join so we wait until thread has -really- finished */
+    if (rv == ETIMEDOUT)
+      pthread_cancel(pm->rx_thread_handle);
+    else
+      pthread_join(pm->rx_thread_handle, (void **) &junk);
+  }
+  if (pm->timeout_thread_handle)
+    pthread_cancel(pm->timeout_thread_handle);
+
+  vl_client_disconnect();
+  vl_client_api_unmap();
+  pneum_callback = 0;
+
+  cleanup();
+
+  return (0);
+}
+
+static void
+set_timeout (unsigned short timeout)
+{
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->timeout_lock);
+  read_timeout = timeout;
+  pthread_cond_signal(&pm->timeout_cv);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->timeout_lock);
+}
+
+static void
+unset_timeout (void)
+{
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&pm->timeout_lock);
+  pthread_cond_signal(&pm->timeout_cancel_cv);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&pm->timeout_lock);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_read (char **p, int *l, u16 timeout)
+{
+  unix_shared_memory_queue_t *q;
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+  uword msg;
+  msgbuf_t *msgbuf;
+
+  if (!pm->connected_to_vlib) return -1;
+
+  *l = 0;
+
+  if (am->our_pid == 0) return (-1);
+
+  /* Poke timeout thread */
+  if (timeout)
+    set_timeout(timeout);
+
+  q = am->vl_input_queue;
+  int rv = unix_shared_memory_queue_sub(q, (u8 *)&msg, 0);
+  if (rv == 0) {
+    u16 msg_id = ntohs(*((u16 *)msg));
+    switch (msg_id) {
+    case VL_API_RX_THREAD_EXIT:
+      printf("Received thread exit\n");
+      return -1;
+    case VL_API_MEMCLNT_RX_THREAD_SUSPEND:
+      printf("Received thread suspend\n");
+      goto error;
+    case VL_API_MEMCLNT_READ_TIMEOUT:
+      printf("Received read timeout %ds\n", timeout);
+      goto error;
+
+    default:
+      msgbuf = (msgbuf_t *)(((u8 *)msg) - offsetof(msgbuf_t, data));
+      *l = ntohl(msgbuf->data_len);
+      if (*l == 0) {
+	printf("Unregistered API message: %d\n", msg_id);
+	goto error;
+      }
+    }
+    *p = (char *)msg;
+
+    /* Let timeout notification thread know we're done */
+    unset_timeout();
+
+  } else {
+    printf("Read failed with %d\n", rv);
+  }
+  return (rv);
+
+ error:
+  vl_msg_api_free((void *) msg);
+  /* Client might forget to resume RX thread on failure */
+  pneum_rx_resume ();
+  return -1;
+}
+
+/*
+ * XXX: Makes the assumption that client_index is the first member
+ */
+typedef VL_API_PACKED(struct _vl_api_header {
+  u16 _vl_msg_id;
+  u32 client_index;
+}) vl_api_header_t;
+
+static unsigned int
+pneum_client_index (void)
+{
+  return (api_main.my_client_index);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_write (char *p, int l)
+{
+  int rv = -1;
+  api_main_t *am = &api_main;
+  vl_api_header_t *mp = vl_msg_api_alloc(l);
+  unix_shared_memory_queue_t *q;
+  pneum_main_t *pm = &pneum_main;
+
+  if (!pm->connected_to_vlib) return -1;
+  if (!mp) return (-1);
+
+  memcpy(mp, p, l);
+  mp->client_index = pneum_client_index();
+  q = am->shmem_hdr->vl_input_queue;
+  rv = unix_shared_memory_queue_add(q, (u8 *)&mp, 0);
+  if (rv != 0) {
+    clib_warning("vpe_api_write fails: %d\n", rv);
+    /* Clear message */
+    pneum_free(mp);
+  }
+  return (rv);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_get_msg_index (unsigned char * name)
+{
+  return vl_api_get_msg_index (name);
+}
+
+int
+pneum_msg_table_max_index(void)
+{
+  int max = 0;
+  hash_pair_t *hp;
+  uword *h = pneum_msg_table_get_hash();
+  hash_foreach_pair (hp, h,
+  ({
+    if (hp->value[0] > max)
+      max = hp->value[0];
+  }));
+
+  return max;
+}
+
+void
+pneum_set_error_handler (pneum_error_callback_t cb)
+{
+  if (cb) clib_error_register_handler (cb, 0);
+}
diff --git a/src/vpp-api/pneum/pneum.h b/src/vpp-api/pneum/pneum.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..669298d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vpp-api/pneum/pneum.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+#ifndef included_pneum_h
+#define included_pneum_h
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <vppinfra/types.h>
+
+typedef void (*pneum_callback_t)(unsigned char * data, int len);
+typedef void (*pneum_error_callback_t)(void *, unsigned char *, int);
+int pneum_connect(char * name, char * chroot_prefix, pneum_callback_t cb,
+    int rx_qlen);
+int pneum_disconnect(void);
+int pneum_read(char **data, int *l, unsigned short timeout);
+int pneum_write(char *data, int len);
+void pneum_free(void * msg);
+
+int pneum_get_msg_index(unsigned char * name);
+int pneum_msg_table_size(void);
+int pneum_msg_table_max_index(void);
+
+void pneum_rx_suspend (void);
+void pneum_rx_resume (void);
+void pneum_set_error_handler(pneum_error_callback_t);
+#endif
diff --git a/src/vpp-api/pneum/test_pneum.c b/src/vpp-api/pneum/test_pneum.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..334e58e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vpp-api/pneum/test_pneum.c
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+/*
+ *------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * test_pneum.c
+ * 
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License. 
+ *------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/mman.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+
+#include <time.h>       /* time_t, time (for timestamp in second) */
+#include <sys/timeb.h>  /* ftime, timeb (for timestamp in millisecond) */
+#include <sys/time.h>   /* gettimeofday, timeval (for timestamp in microsecond) */
+
+#include <vnet/vnet.h>
+#include <vlib/vlib.h>
+#include <vlib/unix/unix.h>
+#include <vlibapi/api.h>
+#include <vlibmemory/api.h>
+#include <vnet/ip/ip.h>
+
+#include <vpp/api/vpe_msg_enum.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <setjmp.h>
+#include "pneum.h"
+
+#define vl_typedefs             /* define message structures */
+#include <vpp/api/vpe_all_api_h.h> 
+#undef vl_typedefs
+
+/* we are not linking with vlib */
+vlib_main_t vlib_global_main;
+vlib_main_t **vlib_mains;
+
+volatile int sigterm_received = 0;
+volatile u32 result_ready;
+volatile u16 result_msg_id;
+
+/* M_NOALLOC: construct, but don't yet send a message */
+
+#define M_NOALLOC(T,t)                          \
+  do {						\
+    result_ready = 0;                           \
+    memset (mp, 0, sizeof (*mp));		\
+    mp->_vl_msg_id = ntohs (VL_API_##T);	\
+    mp->client_index = am->my_client_index;	\
+  } while(0);
+
+
+
+int
+wrap_pneum_callback (char *data, int len)
+{
+  //printf("Callback %d\n", len);
+  result_ready = 1;
+  result_msg_id = ntohs(*((u16 *)data));
+  return (0);
+}
+
+int main (int argc, char ** argv)
+{
+  api_main_t * am = &api_main;
+  vl_api_show_version_t message;
+  vl_api_show_version_t *mp;
+  int async = 1;
+  int rv = pneum_connect("pneum_client", NULL, NULL, 32 /* rx queue-length*/);
+
+  if (rv != 0) {
+    printf("Connect failed: %d\n", rv);
+    exit(rv);
+  }
+ 
+ struct timeb timer_msec;
+  long long int timestamp_msec_start; /* timestamp in millisecond. */
+  if (!ftime(&timer_msec)) {
+    timestamp_msec_start = ((long long int) timer_msec.time) * 1000ll + 
+      (long long int) timer_msec.millitm;
+  }
+  else {
+    timestamp_msec_start = -1;
+  }
+
+ 
+  /*
+   * Test vpe_api_write and vpe_api_read to send and recv message for an
+   * API 
+   */
+  int i;
+  long int no_msgs = 10000;
+  mp = &message;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < no_msgs; i++) {
+    /* Construct the API message */
+    M_NOALLOC(SHOW_VERSION, show_version);
+    pneum_write((char *)mp, sizeof(*mp));
+#ifndef __COVERITY__
+    /* As given, async is always 1. Shut up Coverity about it */
+    if (!async)
+      while (result_ready == 0);
+#endif
+  }
+  if (async) {
+    vl_api_control_ping_t control;
+    vl_api_control_ping_t *mp;
+    mp = &control;
+    M_NOALLOC(CONTROL_PING, control_ping);
+    pneum_write((char *)mp, sizeof(*mp));
+
+    while (result_msg_id != VL_API_CONTROL_PING_REPLY);
+  }
+
+  long long int timestamp_msec_end; /* timestamp in millisecond. */
+  if (!ftime(&timer_msec)) {
+    timestamp_msec_end = ((long long int) timer_msec.time) * 1000ll + 
+      (long long int) timer_msec.millitm;
+  }
+  else {
+    timestamp_msec_end = -1;
+  }
+  
+  printf("Took %lld msec, %lld msgs/msec \n", (timestamp_msec_end - timestamp_msec_start),
+	 no_msgs/(timestamp_msec_end - timestamp_msec_start));
+  fformat(stdout, "Exiting...\n");
+  pneum_disconnect();
+  exit (0);
+}