diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/DeviceConfigOperator.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/DeviceConfigOperator.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f01abf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/config/DeviceConfigOperator.java
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016-present Open Networking Foundation
+ *
+ * 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.
+ */
+package org.onosproject.net.config;
+
+import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceDescription;
+
+import com.google.common.annotations.Beta;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+
+/**
+ * {@link ConfigOperator} for Device.
+ * <p>
+ * Note: We currently assume {@link DeviceConfigOperator}s are commutative.
+ */
+@Beta
+public interface DeviceConfigOperator extends ConfigOperator {
+
+    /**
+     * Binds {@link NetworkConfigService} to use for retrieving configuration.
+     *
+     * @param networkConfigService the service to use
+     */
+    void bindService(NetworkConfigService networkConfigService);
+
+
+    /**
+     * Generates a DeviceDescription containing fields from a DeviceDescription and
+     * configuration.
+     *
+     * @param deviceId {@link DeviceId} representing the port.
+     * @param descr input {@link DeviceDescription}
+     * @param prevConfig previous config {@link Config}
+     * @return Combined {@link DeviceDescription}
+     */
+    DeviceDescription combine(DeviceId deviceId, DeviceDescription descr,
+                              Optional<Config> prevConfig);
+}