diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index ccae7c4c53..0a2271f946 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ core = [
     'core/resource.cc',
     'core/scollectd.cc',
     'core/app-template.cc',
+    'core/thread.cc',
     'core/dpdk_rte.cc',
     'util/conversions.cc',
     'net/packet.cc',
diff --git a/core/future.hh b/core/future.hh
index 9f1ebb3de2..6794530374 100644
--- a/core/future.hh
+++ b/core/future.hh
@@ -28,6 +28,20 @@
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <assert.h>
 
+namespace seastar {
+
+class thread_context;
+
+namespace thread_impl {
+
+thread_context* get();
+void switch_in(thread_context* to);
+void switch_out(thread_context* from);
+
+}
+
+}
+
 template <class... T>
 class promise;
 
@@ -514,9 +528,22 @@ public:
         }
     }
     std::tuple<T...> get() {
+        if (!state()->available()) {
+            wait();
+        }
         return state()->get();
     }
 
+    void wait() {
+        auto thread = seastar::thread_impl::get();
+        assert(thread);
+        schedule([this, thread] (future_state<T...>&& new_state) {
+            *state() = std::move(new_state);
+            seastar::thread_impl::switch_in(thread);
+        });
+        seastar::thread_impl::switch_out(thread);
+    }
+
     bool available() noexcept {
         return state()->available();
     }
diff --git a/core/reactor.cc b/core/reactor.cc
index f49f29fef0..dea25becf7 100644
--- a/core/reactor.cc
+++ b/core/reactor.cc
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "scollectd.hh"
 #include "util/conversions.hh"
 #include "core/future-util.hh"
+#include "thread.hh"
 #include <cassert>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ reactor::reactor()
     , _io_context_available(max_aio)
     , _reuseport(posix_reuseport_detect()) {
 
+    seastar::thread_impl::init();
     auto r = ::io_setup(max_aio, &_io_context);
     assert(r >= 0);
 #ifdef HAVE_OSV
diff --git a/core/thread.cc b/core/thread.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dd74a6d6cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/thread.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+/*
+ * This file is open source software, licensed to you under the terms
+ * of the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License").  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership.  You may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Cloudius Systems, Ltd.
+ */
+
+#include "thread.hh"
+#include "posix.hh"
+
+namespace seastar {
+
+thread_local thread_context* g_current_thread;
+thread_local ucontext_t g_unthreaded_context;
+thread_local ucontext_t* g_current_context;
+
+thread_context::thread_context(std::function<void ()> func)
+        : _func(std::move(func)) {
+    setup();
+}
+
+void
+thread_context::setup() {
+    auto q = uint64_t(reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(this));
+    auto main = reinterpret_cast<void (*)()>(&thread_context::s_main);
+    auto r = getcontext(&_context);
+    throw_system_error_on(r == -1);
+    _context.uc_stack.ss_sp = _stack.get();
+    _context.uc_stack.ss_size = _stack_size;
+    _context.uc_link = &g_unthreaded_context;
+    makecontext(&_context, main, 2, int(q), int(q >> 32));
+}
+
+void
+thread_context::switch_in() {
+    // FIXME: use setjmp/longjmp after initial_switch_in, much faster
+    auto prev = g_current_context;
+    g_current_context = &_context;
+    g_current_thread = this;
+    swapcontext(prev, &_context);
+}
+
+void
+thread_context::switch_out() {
+    g_current_context = &g_unthreaded_context;
+    g_current_thread = nullptr;
+    swapcontext(&_context, &g_unthreaded_context);
+}
+
+void
+thread_context::s_main(unsigned int lo, unsigned int hi) {
+    uintptr_t q = lo | (uint64_t(hi) << 32);
+    reinterpret_cast<thread_context*>(q)->main();
+}
+
+void
+thread_context::main() {
+    try {
+        _func();
+        _done.set_value();
+    } catch (...) {
+        _done.set_exception(std::current_exception());
+    }
+    g_current_context = &g_unthreaded_context;
+    g_current_thread = nullptr;
+    // returning here auto-switches to the "next context" link
+}
+
+namespace thread_impl {
+
+thread_context* get() {
+    return g_current_thread;
+}
+
+void switch_in(thread_context* to) {
+    to->switch_in();
+}
+
+void switch_out(thread_context* from) {
+    from->switch_out();
+}
+
+void init() {
+    auto r = getcontext(&g_unthreaded_context);
+    throw_system_error_on(r == -1);
+    g_current_context = &g_unthreaded_context;
+}
+
+}
+
+
+}
diff --git a/core/thread.hh b/core/thread.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e27893425f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/thread.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+/*
+ * This file is open source software, licensed to you under the terms
+ * of the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License").  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership.  You may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Cloudius Systems, Ltd.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "future.hh"
+#include <memory>
+#include <ucontext.h>
+
+namespace seastar {
+
+class thread;
+class thread_context;
+
+namespace thread_impl {
+
+thread_context* get();
+void switch_in(thread_context* to);
+void switch_out(thread_context* from);
+void init();
+
+}
+
+extern thread_local ucontext_t g_unthreaded_context;
+
+// Internal class holding thread state.  We can't hold this in
+// \c thread itself because \c thread is movable, and we want pointers
+// to this state to be captured.
+class thread_context {
+    static constexpr const size_t _stack_size = 128*1024;
+    std::unique_ptr<char[]> _stack{new char[_stack_size]};
+    std::function<void ()> _func;
+    ucontext_t _context;
+    promise<> _done;
+    bool _joined = false;
+private:
+    static void s_main(unsigned int lo, unsigned int hi);
+    void setup();
+    void main();
+public:
+    thread_context(std::function<void ()> func);
+    void switch_in();
+    void switch_out();
+    friend class thread;
+    friend void thread_impl::switch_in(thread_context*);
+    friend void thread_impl::switch_out(thread_context*);
+};
+
+/// \brief thread - stateful thread of execution
+///
+/// Threads allow using seastar APIs in a blocking manner,
+/// by calling future::get() on a non-ready future.  When
+/// this happens, the thread is put to sleep until the future
+/// becomes ready.
+class thread {
+    std::unique_ptr<thread_context> _context;
+    static thread_local thread* _current;
+public:
+    /// \brief Constructs a \c thread object that does not represent a thread
+    /// of execution.
+    thread() = default;
+    /// \brief Constructs a \c thread object that represents a thread of execution
+    ///
+    /// \param func Callable object to execute in thread.  The callable is
+    ///             called immediately.
+    template <typename Func>
+    thread(Func func);
+    /// \brief Moves a thread object.
+    thread(thread&& x) noexcept = default;
+    /// \brief Move-assigns a thread object.
+    thread& operator=(thread&& x) noexcept = default;
+    /// \brief Destroys a \c thread object.
+    ///
+    /// The thread must not represent a running thread of execution (see join()).
+    ~thread() { assert(!_context || _context->_joined); }
+    /// \brief Waits for thread execution to terminate.
+    ///
+    /// Waits for thread execution to terminate, and marks the thread object as not
+    /// representing a running thread of execution.
+    future<> join();
+};
+
+template <typename Func>
+inline
+thread::thread(Func func)
+        : _context(std::make_unique<thread_context>(func)) {
+    _context->switch_in();
+}
+
+inline
+future<>
+thread::join() {
+    _context->_joined = true;
+    return _context->_done.get_future();
+}
+
+}