diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowDescription.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowDescription.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a64815
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowDescription.java
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.net.flow;
+
+import org.onlab.onos.net.Description;
+
+/**
+ * Information about a flow rule.
+ */
+public interface FlowDescription extends Description {
+
+    // Match and action, possibly reason for flow rule, unless reason is too OF-specific.
+
+}
diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProvider.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProvider.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac46da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProvider.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.net.flow;
+
+import org.onlab.onos.net.Provider;
+
+/**
+ * Abstraction of a flow rule provider.
+ */
+public interface FlowRuleProvider extends Provider {
+}
diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProviderBroker.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProviderBroker.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3f7602
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProviderBroker.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.net.flow;
+
+import org.onlab.onos.net.ProviderBroker;
+
+/**
+ * Abstraction for a flow rule provider brokerage.
+ */
+public interface FlowRuleProviderBroker
+        extends ProviderBroker<FlowRuleProvider, FlowRuleProviderService> {
+}
diff --git a/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProviderService.java b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProviderService.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b26d76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/flow/FlowRuleProviderService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.net.flow;
+
+import org.onlab.onos.net.ProviderService;
+
+/**
+ * Service through which flowrule providers can inject flowrule information into
+ * the core.
+ */
+public interface FlowRuleProviderService extends ProviderService {
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that a flow that was previously installed has been removed.
+     *
+     * @param flowDescription information about the removed flow
+     */
+    void flowRemoved(FlowDescription flowDescription);
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that a flowrule is missing for some network traffic.
+     *
+     * @param flowDescription information about traffic in need of flow rule(s)
+     */
+    void flowMissing(FlowDescription flowDescription);
+
+    /**
+     * Signals that a flowrule has been added.
+     *
+     * TODO  think about if this really makes sense, e.g. if stats collection or
+     * something can leverage it.
+     *
+     * @param flowDescription the rule that was added
+     */
+    void flowAdded(FlowDescription flowDescription);
+
+}