diff --git a/ndn-cpp/c/common.h b/ndn-cpp/c/common.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..23a604c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ndn-cpp/c/common.h
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2013 Regents of the University of California.
+ * @author: Jeff Thompson <jefft0@remap.ucla.edu>
+ * See COPYING for copyright and distribution information.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NDN_COMMON_H
+#define	NDN_COMMON_H
+
+#include "../../config.h"
+
+// Need to define uint8_t.  There may be no stdint.h because it is only part of the C standard since 1999.
+#if HAVE_STDINT
+#include <stdint.h>
+#else
+#endif
+#ifndef _UINT8_T
+#define _UINT8_T
+typedef unsigned char uint8_t;
+#endif
+
+#ifdef	__cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+
+
+#ifdef	__cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif