diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/serializers/ClusterMessageSerializer.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/serializers/ClusterMessageSerializer.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbd88c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/serializers/ClusterMessageSerializer.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.store.serializers;
+
+import org.onlab.onos.cluster.NodeId;
+import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.ClusterMessage;
+import org.onlab.onos.store.cluster.messaging.MessageSubject;
+
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.Kryo;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.Serializer;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.io.Input;
+import com.esotericsoftware.kryo.io.Output;
+
+public final class ClusterMessageSerializer extends Serializer<ClusterMessage> {
+
+    public ClusterMessageSerializer() {
+        // does not accept null
+        super(false);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void write(Kryo kryo, Output output, ClusterMessage object) {
+        kryo.writeClassAndObject(output, object.sender());
+        kryo.writeClassAndObject(output, object.subject());
+        // TODO: write bytes serialized using ClusterMessage specified serializer
+        // write serialized payload size
+        //output.writeInt(...);
+        // write serialized payload
+        //output.writeBytes(...);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ClusterMessage read(Kryo kryo, Input input,
+                               Class<ClusterMessage> type) {
+        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
+        NodeId sender = (NodeId) kryo.readClassAndObject(input);
+        MessageSubject subject = (MessageSubject) kryo.readClassAndObject(input);
+        int size = input.readInt();
+        byte[] payloadBytes = input.readBytes(size);
+        // TODO: deserialize payload using ClusterMessage specified serializer
+        Object payload = null;
+        return new ClusterMessage(sender, subject, payload);
+    }
+
+}