diff --git a/daemon/fw/forwarder.cpp b/daemon/fw/forwarder.cpp
index f967e0b..122fa58 100644
--- a/daemon/fw/forwarder.cpp
+++ b/daemon/fw/forwarder.cpp
@@ -129,9 +129,20 @@
 
   // is pending?
   if (!pitEntry->hasInRecords()) {
-    m_cs.find(interest,
-              bind(&Forwarder::onContentStoreHit, this, ref(inFace), pitEntry, _1, _2),
-              bind(&Forwarder::onContentStoreMiss, this, ref(inFace), pitEntry, _1));
+    if (m_csFromNdnSim == nullptr) {
+      m_cs.find(interest,
+                bind(&Forwarder::onContentStoreHit, this, ref(inFace), pitEntry, _1, _2),
+                bind(&Forwarder::onContentStoreMiss, this, ref(inFace), pitEntry, _1));
+    }
+    else {
+      shared_ptr<Data> match = m_csFromNdnSim->Lookup(interest.shared_from_this());
+      if (match != nullptr) {
+        this->onContentStoreHit(inFace, pitEntry, interest, *match);
+      }
+      else {
+        this->onContentStoreMiss(inFace, pitEntry, interest);
+      }
+    }
   }
   else {
     this->onContentStoreMiss(inFace, pitEntry, interest);
@@ -276,7 +287,10 @@
   }
 
   // CS insert
-  m_cs.insert(data);
+  if (m_csFromNdnSim == nullptr)
+    m_cs.insert(data);
+  else
+    m_csFromNdnSim->Add(data.shared_from_this());
 
   // when only one PIT entry is matched, trigger strategy: after receive Data
   if (pitMatches.size() == 1) {
@@ -355,7 +369,10 @@
   fw::UnsolicitedDataDecision decision = m_unsolicitedDataPolicy->decide(inFace, data);
   if (decision == fw::UnsolicitedDataDecision::CACHE) {
     // CS insert
-    m_cs.insert(data, true);
+    if (m_csFromNdnSim == nullptr)
+      m_cs.insert(data, true);
+    else
+      m_csFromNdnSim->Add(data.shared_from_this());
   }
 
   NFD_LOG_DEBUG("onDataUnsolicited face=" << inFace.getId() <<
diff --git a/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp b/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp
index bcb3caf..1c3c518 100644
--- a/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp
+++ b/daemon/fw/forwarder.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 #include "table/dead-nonce-list.hpp"
 #include "table/network-region-table.hpp"
 
+#include "ns3/ndnSIM/model/cs/ndn-content-store.hpp"
+
 namespace nfd {
 
 namespace fw {
@@ -182,6 +184,13 @@
     return m_networkRegionTable;
   }
 
+public: // allow enabling ndnSIM content store (will be removed in the future)
+  void
+  setCsFromNdnSim(ns3::Ptr<ns3::ndn::ContentStore> cs)
+  {
+    m_csFromNdnSim = cs;
+  }
+
 PUBLIC_WITH_TESTS_ELSE_PRIVATE: // pipelines
   /** \brief incoming Interest pipeline
    */
@@ -284,6 +293,8 @@
   DeadNonceList      m_deadNonceList;
   NetworkRegionTable m_networkRegionTable;
 
+  ns3::Ptr<ns3::ndn::ContentStore> m_csFromNdnSim;
+
   // allow Strategy (base class) to enter pipelines
   friend class fw::Strategy;
 };