diff --git a/include/proto/trace.h b/include/proto/trace.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0838551
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/proto/trace.h
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * include/proto/trace.h
+ * This file provides functions for runtime tracing
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2000-2019 Willy Tarreau - w@1wt.eu
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.1
+ * exclusively.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ */
+
+#ifndef _PROTO_TRACE_H
+#define _PROTO_TRACE_H
+
+#include <common/buffer.h>
+#include <common/compat.h>
+#include <common/config.h>
+#include <common/ist.h>
+#include <common/mini-clist.h>
+#include <types/log.h>
+#include <types/sink.h>
+#include <types/trace.h>
+
+extern struct list trace_sources;
+
+/* registers trace source <source>. Modifies the list element!
+ * The {start,pause,stop,report} events are not changed so the source may
+ * preset them.
+ */
+static inline void trace_register_source(struct trace_source *source)
+{
+	source->lockon = TRACE_LOCKON_NOTHING;
+	source->level = TRACE_LEVEL_USER;
+	source->detail_level = LOG_NOTICE;
+	source->sink = NULL;
+	source->state = TRACE_STATE_STOPPED;
+	source->lockon_ptr = NULL;
+	LIST_ADDQ(&trace_sources, &source->source_link);
+}
+
+#endif /* _PROTO_TRACE_H */
+
+/*
+ * Local variables:
+ *  c-indent-level: 8
+ *  c-basic-offset: 8
+ * End:
+ */
diff --git a/include/types/trace.h b/include/types/trace.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65a79aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/types/trace.h
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+/*
+ * include/types/trace.h
+ * This file provides definitions for runtime tracing
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2000-2019 Willy Tarreau - w@1wt.eu
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.1
+ * exclusively.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ */
+
+#ifndef _TYPES_TRACE_H
+#define _TYPES_TRACE_H
+
+#include <common/buffer.h>
+#include <common/compat.h>
+#include <common/config.h>
+#include <common/ist.h>
+#include <common/mini-clist.h>
+#include <types/sink.h>
+
+enum trace_state {
+	TRACE_STATE_STOPPED = 0,  // completely disabled
+	TRACE_STATE_WAITING,      // waiting for the start condition to happen
+	TRACE_STATE_RUNNING,      // waiting for the stop or pause conditions
+};
+
+enum trace_level {
+	TRACE_LEVEL_USER = 0,     // info useful to the end user
+	TRACE_LEVEL_PAYLOAD,      // add info relevant to the payload
+	TRACE_LEVEL_PROTO,        // add info relevant to the protocol
+	TRACE_LEVEL_STATE,        // add info relevant to the state machine
+	TRACE_LEVEL_DEVELOPER,    // add info useful only to the developer
+};
+
+enum trace_lockon {
+	TRACE_LOCKON_NOTHING = 0, // don't lock on anything
+	TRACE_LOCKON_THREAD,      // lock on the thread that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_LISTENER,    // lock on the listener that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_FRONTEND,    // lock on the frontend that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_BACKEND,     // lock on the backend that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_SERVER,      // lock on the server that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_CONNECTION,  // lock on the connection that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_SESSION,     // lock on the session that started the trace
+	TRACE_LOCKON_STREAM,      // lock on the stream that started the trace
+};
+
+/* Each trace event maps a name to a mask in an uint64_t. Multiple bits are
+ * permitted to have composite events. This is supposed to be stored into an
+ * array terminated by mask 0 (name and desc are then ignored). Names "now",
+ * "any" and "none" are reserved by the CLI parser for start/pause/stop
+ * operations..
+ */
+struct trace_event {
+	uint64_t mask;
+	const char *name;
+	const char *desc;
+};
+
+struct trace_source {
+	/* source definition */
+	const struct ist name;
+	const char *desc;
+	const struct trace_event *known_events;
+	struct list source_link; // element in list of known trace sources
+	/* trace configuration, adjusted by "trace <module>" on CLI */
+	enum trace_lockon lockon;
+	uint64_t start_events;   // what will start the trace. default: 0=nothing
+	uint64_t pause_events;   // what will pause the trace. default: 0=nothing
+	uint64_t stop_events;    // what will stop the trace. default: 0=nothing
+	uint64_t report_events;  // mask of which events need to be reported.
+	enum trace_level level;  // report traces up to this level of info
+	int detail_level;        // report events with this level of detail (LOG_*)
+	struct sink *sink;       // where to send the trace
+	/* trace state part below */
+	enum trace_state state;
+	void *lockon_ptr;        // what to lockon when lockon is set
+};
+
+#endif /* _TYPES_TRACE_H */
+
+/*
+ * Local variables:
+ *  c-indent-level: 8
+ *  c-basic-offset: 8
+ * End:
+ */