diff --git a/ndn-cpp/trie/payload-traits/pointer.h b/ndn-cpp/trie/payload-traits/pointer.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8290fbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ndn-cpp/trie/payload-traits/pointer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2013, Regents of the University of California
+ *                     Alexander Afanasyev
+ *
+ * BSD license, See the LICENSE file for more information
+ *
+ * Author: Alexander Afanasyev <alexander.afanasyev@ucla.edu>
+ */
+
+#ifndef NDN_TRIE_PAYLOAD_TRAITS_POINTER_H
+#define NDN_TRIE_PAYLOAD_TRAITS_POINTER_H
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace trie {
+
+template<typename Payload, typename BasePayload = Payload>
+struct pointer_payload_traits
+{
+  typedef Payload         payload_type; // general type of the payload
+  typedef Payload*        storage_type; // how the payload is actually stored
+  typedef Payload*        insert_type;  // what parameter is inserted
+
+  typedef Payload*        return_type;  // what is returned on access
+  typedef const Payload*  const_return_type; // what is returned on const access
+
+  typedef BasePayload*       base_type;       // base type of the entry (when implementation details need to be hidden)
+  typedef const BasePayload* const_base_type; // const base type of the entry (when implementation details need to be hidden)
+
+  static Payload* empty_payload;
+};
+
+template<typename Payload, typename BasePayload>
+Payload*
+pointer_payload_traits<Payload, BasePayload>::empty_payload = NULL;
+
+} // trie
+} // ndn
+
+#endif // NDN_TRIE_PAYLOAD_TRAITS_POINTER_H
diff --git a/ndn-cpp/trie/payload-traits/ptr.h b/ndn-cpp/trie/payload-traits/ptr.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3caf020
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ndn-cpp/trie/payload-traits/ptr.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2013, Regents of the University of California
+ *                     Alexander Afanasyev
+ *
+ * BSD license, See the LICENSE file for more information
+ *
+ * Author: Alexander Afanasyev <alexander.afanasyev@ucla.edu>
+ */
+
+#ifndef NDN_TRIE_PAYLOAD_TRAITS_PTR_H
+#define NDN_TRIE_PAYLOAD_TRAITS_PTR_H
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace trie {
+
+template<typename Payload, typename BasePayload = Payload>
+struct ptr_payload_traits
+{
+  typedef Payload            payload_type;
+  typedef Ptr<Payload>       storage_type;
+  typedef Ptr<Payload>       insert_type;
+
+  typedef Ptr<Payload>       return_type;
+  typedef Ptr<const Payload> const_return_type;
+
+  typedef Ptr<BasePayload> base_type;
+  typedef Ptr<const BasePayload> const_base_type;
+
+  static Ptr<Payload> empty_payload;
+};
+
+template<typename Payload, typename BasePayload>
+Ptr<Payload>
+ptr_payload_traits<Payload, BasePayload>::empty_payload; // = Ptr<Payload> ();
+
+} // trie
+} // ndn
+
+#endif // NDN_TRIE_PAYLOAD_TRAITS_PTR_H