diff --git a/include/msg.h b/include/msg.h
index 1d04c0be..414fd685 100644
--- a/include/msg.h
+++ b/include/msg.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #define INCLUDED_msg_h
 
 #include "config.h"
+#include "msgbuf.h"
 
 struct Client;
 
@@ -77,8 +78,6 @@ struct Message
 #define MFLG_SLOW	0x01	/* executed roughly once per 2s */
 #define MFLG_UNREG	0x02	/* available to unregistered clients */
 
-#define MAXPARA    15
-
 /* generic handlers */
 extern int m_ignore(struct Client *, struct Client *, int, const char **);
 extern int m_not_oper(struct Client *, struct Client *, int, const char **);
diff --git a/include/msgbuf.h b/include/msgbuf.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a595794e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/msgbuf.h
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+ * charybdis - an advanced ircd.
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 William Pitcock <nenolod@dereferenced.org>.
+ *
+ * Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
+ * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice and this permission notice is present in all copies.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
+ * WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+ * DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
+ * INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
+ * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+ * SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
+ * HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
+ * STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING
+ * IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+ * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#ifndef CHARYBDIS__MSGBUF_H
+#define CHARYBDIS__MSGBUF_H
+
+#define MAXPARA		(15)
+
+/* a key-value structure for each message tag. */
+struct MsgTag {
+	const char *key;
+	const char *value;
+};
+
+struct MsgBuf {
+	size_t n_tags;
+	struct MsgTag tags[MAXPARA];
+
+	const char *origin;
+	const char *cmd;
+
+	size_t parselen;
+	size_t n_para;
+	const char *para[MAXPARA];
+};
+
+/*
+ * parse a message into a MsgBuf.
+ * returns 0 on success, 1 on error.
+ */
+int msgbuf_parse(struct MsgBuf *msgbuf, const char *line);
+
+/*
+ * unparse a MsgBuf header plus payload into a buffer.
+ * if origin is NULL, me.name will be used.
+ * cmd may not be NULL.
+ * returns 0 on success, 1 on error.
+ */
+int msgbuf_unparse(char *buf, struct MsgBuf *head, const char *fmt, ...) AFP(3, 4);
+int msgbuf_vunparse(char *buf, struct MsgBuf *head, const char *fmt, va_list va);
+
+#endif