diff --git a/pkg/urbit/include/c/motes.h b/pkg/urbit/include/c/motes.h
index cbb4850b2..2871e7d20 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/include/c/motes.h
+++ b/pkg/urbit/include/c/motes.h
@@ -601,6 +601,8 @@
 #   define c3__jet    c3_s3('j','e','t')
 #   define c3__jetd   c3_s4('j','e','t','d')
 #   define c3__just   c3_s4('j','u','s','t')
+#   define c3__k      c3_s1('k')
+#   define c3__khan   c3_s4('k','h','a','n')
 #   define c3__keep   c3_s4('k','e','e','p')
 #   define c3__kern   c3_s4('k','e','r','n')
 #   define c3__kgo    c3_s3('k','g','o')
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h b/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h
index a0cab581c..880df3fa4 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h
+++ b/pkg/urbit/include/vere/vere.h
@@ -1199,6 +1199,13 @@
         u3_auto*
         u3_cttp_io_init(u3_pier* pir_u);
 
+    /**  Control plane.
+    **/
+      /* u3_khan_io_init(): initialize control plane I/O.
+      */
+        u3_auto*
+        u3_khan_io_init(u3_pier* pir_u);
+
     /**  fore, first events
     **/
       /* u3_hind_io_init(): initialize fore
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c
index 5a56d22bc..2a4c3d5b6 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/auto.c
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ u3_auto_init(u3_pier* pir_u)
 
   car_u = _auto_link(u3_hind_io_init(pir_u), pir_u, car_u);
   car_u = _auto_link(u3_behn_io_init(pir_u), pir_u, car_u);
+  car_u = _auto_link(u3_khan_io_init(pir_u), pir_u, car_u);
   car_u = _auto_link(u3_ames_io_init(pir_u), pir_u, car_u);
   car_u = _auto_link(u3_http_io_init(pir_u), pir_u, car_u);
   car_u = _auto_link(u3_cttp_io_init(pir_u), pir_u, car_u);
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/io/khan.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/khan.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2220f3b3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/io/khan.c
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+/* vere/khan.c
+**
+*/
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <sys/ioctl.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
+#include <uv.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+
+#include "all.h"
+#include "vere/vere.h"
+
+/* u3_khan: control plane socket
+*/
+  typedef struct _u3_khan {
+    u3_auto           car_u;            //  driver
+    c3_l              sev_l;            //  instance number
+  } u3_khan;
+
+/* _khan_io_talk(): notify %khan that we're live
+*/
+static void
+_khan_io_talk(u3_auto* car_u)
+{
+  u3_khan* cop_u = (u3_khan*)car_u;
+
+  u3_noun wir = u3nt(c3__khan,
+                     u3dc("scot", c3__uv, cop_u->sev_l),
+                     u3_nul);
+  u3_noun cad = u3nc(c3__born, u3_nul);
+
+  u3_auto_plan(car_u, u3_ovum_init(0, c3__k, wir, cad));
+}
+
+/* _khan_io_kick(): apply effects.
+*/
+static c3_o
+_khan_io_kick(u3_auto* car_u, u3_noun wir, u3_noun cad)
+{
+  u3_khan* cop_u = (u3_khan*)car_u;
+
+  u3_noun tag, dat, i_wir;
+  c3_o ret_o;
+
+  if (  (c3n == u3r_cell(wir, &i_wir, 0))
+     || (c3n == u3r_cell(cad, &tag, &dat))
+     || (c3__khan != i_wir) )
+  {
+    ret_o = c3n;
+  }
+  else {
+    ret_o = c3y;
+    // TODO do something
+  }
+
+  u3z(wir); u3z(cad);
+  return ret_o;
+}
+
+/* _khan_io_exit(): close socket.
+*/
+static void
+_khan_io_exit(u3_auto* car_u)
+{
+  u3_khan* cop_u = (u3_khan*)car_u;
+  // TODO close socket
+}
+
+/* u3_khan(): initialize control plane socket.
+*/
+u3_auto*
+u3_khan_io_init(u3_pier* pir_u)
+{
+  u3_khan* cop_u = c3_calloc(sizeof(*cop_u));
+
+  u3_auto* car_u = &cop_u->car_u;
+  car_u->nam_m = c3__khan;
+  car_u->io.talk_f = _khan_io_talk;
+  car_u->io.kick_f = _khan_io_kick;
+  car_u->io.exit_f = _khan_io_exit;
+
+  // TODO open socket
+
+  {
+    u3_noun now;
+    struct timeval tim_u;
+    gettimeofday(&tim_u, 0);
+
+    now = u3_time_in_tv(&tim_u);
+    cop_u->sev_l = u3r_mug(now);
+    u3z(now);
+  }
+
+  return car_u;
+}