diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/AbstractModel.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/AbstractModel.java
index cbafad9..6bdda72 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/AbstractModel.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/AbstractModel.java
@@ -1,33 +1,32 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.net;
 
-import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
-import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderId;
 
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Set;
 
 /**
  * Base implementation of a network model entity.
  */
-public class AbstractModel implements Provided, Annotated {
+public class AbstractModel extends AbstractAnnotated implements Provided {
 
     private final ProviderId providerId;
 
-    // FIXME: figure out whether to make this concurrent or immutable
-    private final Map<String, String> annotations = Maps.newHashMap();
-
     // For serialization
     public AbstractModel() {
         providerId = null;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Creates a model entity attributed to the specified provider.
+     * Creates a model entity attributed to the specified provider and
+     * optionally annotated.
      *
-     * @param providerId identity of the provider
+     * @param providerId  identity of the provider
+     * @param annotations optional key/value annotations
      */
-    protected AbstractModel(ProviderId providerId) {
+    @SafeVarargs
+    protected AbstractModel(ProviderId providerId,
+                            Map<String, String>... annotations) {
+        super(annotations);
         this.providerId = providerId;
     }
 
@@ -36,13 +35,4 @@
         return providerId;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public Set<String> annotationKeys() {
-        return ImmutableSet.copyOf(annotations.keySet());
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public String annotation(String key) {
-        return annotations.get(key);
-    }
 }