diff --git a/of-save/lib/src/main/java/org/projectfloodlight/openflow/util/PrimitiveSinkUtils.java b/of-save/lib/src/main/java/org/projectfloodlight/openflow/util/PrimitiveSinkUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28eb3a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/of-save/lib/src/main/java/org/projectfloodlight/openflow/util/PrimitiveSinkUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package org.projectfloodlight.openflow.util;
+
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.SortedSet;
+
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
+
+import org.projectfloodlight.openflow.types.PrimitiveSinkable;
+
+import com.google.common.hash.PrimitiveSink;
+
+/** Utility methods for dumping collections into primitive sinks.
+ *
+ * @author Andreas Wundsam <andreas.wundsam@bigswitch.com>
+ */
+public class PrimitiveSinkUtils {
+    private PrimitiveSinkUtils() {}
+
+    /** puts a nullable String into a primitive sink. The entry is prepended by a 'presence'
+     *  boolean bit and the string length;
+     *
+     *
+     * @param sink the sink to put the object
+     * @param nullableObj the potentially null string to put in the sink
+     */
+    public static void putNullableStringTo(PrimitiveSink sink,
+            @Nullable CharSequence nullableChars) {
+
+        sink.putBoolean(nullableChars != null);
+        if(nullableChars != null) {
+            sink.putInt(nullableChars.length());
+            sink.putUnencodedChars(nullableChars);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** puts a nullable element into a primitive sink. The entry is prepended by a 'present' bit.
+     *
+     * @param sink the sink to put the object
+     * @param nullableObj the nullable object
+     */
+    public static void putNullableTo(PrimitiveSink sink,
+            @Nullable PrimitiveSinkable nullableObj) {
+        sink.putBoolean(nullableObj != null);
+        if(nullableObj != null)
+            nullableObj.putTo(sink);
+    }
+
+    /** puts the elements of a sorted set into the {@link PrimitiveSink}. Does not support null
+     *  elements. The elements are assumed to be self-delimitating.
+     *
+     * @param sink
+     * @param set
+     */
+    public static void putSortedSetTo(PrimitiveSink sink,
+            SortedSet<? extends PrimitiveSinkable> set) {
+        sink.putInt(set.size());
+        for(PrimitiveSinkable e: set) {
+            e.putTo(sink);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** puts the elements of a list into the {@link PrimitiveSink}. Does not support null
+     *  elements. The elements are assumed to be self-delimitating.
+     *
+     * @param sink
+     * @param set
+     */
+    public static void putListTo(PrimitiveSink sink,
+            List<? extends PrimitiveSinkable> set) {
+        sink.putInt(set.size());
+        for(PrimitiveSinkable e: set) {
+            e.putTo(sink);
+        }
+    }
+}