diff --git a/daemon/mgmt/config-file.hpp b/daemon/mgmt/config-file.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b72e7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/mgmt/config-file.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Named Data Networking Project
+ * See COPYING for copyright and distribution information.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NFD_MGMT_CONFIG_FILE_HPP
+#define NFD_MGMT_CONFIG_FILE_HPP
+
+#include "common.hpp"
+
+#include <boost/property_tree/ptree.hpp>
+
+namespace nfd {
+
+typedef boost::property_tree::ptree ConfigSection;
+
+/// \brief callback for config file sections
+typedef function<void(const ConfigSection&, bool)> OnConfig;
+
+class ConfigFile
+{
+public:
+
+  class Error : public std::runtime_error
+  {
+  public:
+    Error(const std::string& what)
+      : std::runtime_error(what)
+    {
+
+    }
+  };
+
+  ConfigFile();
+
+  /// \brief setup notification of configuration file sections
+  void
+  addSectionHandler(const std::string& sectionName,
+                    OnConfig subscriber);
+
+
+  /**
+   * \param filename file to parse
+   * \param isDryRun true if performing a dry run of configuration, false otherwise
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if file not found
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if parse error
+   */
+  void
+  parse(const char* filename, bool isDryRun=false);
+
+  /**
+   * \param input configuration (as a string) to parse
+   * \param isDryRun true if performing a dry run of configuration, false otherwise
+   * \param filename optional convenience argument to provide more detailed error messages (if available)
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if file not found
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if parse error
+   */
+  void
+  parse(const std::string& input, bool isDryRun=false, const char* filename=0);
+
+  /**
+   * \param input stream to parse
+   * \param isDryRun true if performing a dry run of configuration, false otherwise
+   * \param filename optional convenience argument to provide more detailed error messages (if available)
+   * \throws ConfigFile::Error if parse error
+   */
+  void
+  parse(std::istream& input, bool isDryRun=false, const char* filename=0);
+
+private:
+
+  void
+  process(bool isDryRun, const char* filename);
+
+private:
+
+  typedef std::map<std::string, OnConfig> SubscriptionTable;
+
+  SubscriptionTable m_subscriptions;
+
+  ConfigSection m_global;
+};
+
+} // namespace nfd
+
+
+#endif // NFD_MGMT_CONFIG_FILE_HPP
+