diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34dff93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*jslint vars: true, white: true, plusplus: true, todo: true */
+"use strict";
+var addonPrefs = require("sdk/simple-prefs").prefs;
+
+(function() {
+  var ps = require("sdk/preferences/service");
+  var addonId = require("sdk/self").id;
+  var simpleprefs = ps.keys("extensions." + addonId);
+  var prefix = "services.sync.prefs.sync.extensions." + addonId + ".";
+
+  simpleprefs.forEach(function(prefname){
+    var pref = prefix + prefname;
+    if (!ps.has(pref)) { ps.set(pref, true); }
+  });
+}());
+
+var defaultConfig = {
+  //TODO
+};
+
+function Configuration() {
+  var config = null;
+  try {
+    config = JSON.parse(addonPrefs.configJSON);
+  } catch (ignore) { }
+  if (!config) {
+    config = JSON.stringify(defaultConfig);
+    addonPrefs.configJSON = config;
+    config = JSON.parse(config);
+  }
+  this.config = config;
+}
+
+Configuration.prototype = {
+  //TODO
+};
+
+exports.Configuration = Configuration;
+
diff --git a/lib/controller.js b/lib/controller.js
index 7cdcedc..7bf78df 100644
--- a/lib/controller.js
+++ b/lib/controller.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-/*jslint white: true, todo: true */
+/*jslint vars: true, white: true, plusplus: true, todo: true */
 "use strict";
 
 var util = require("./util");
+var Configuration = require("./config").Configuration;
 var Ci = require("chrome").Ci;
 
 var topics = [
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ function Controller() {
   topics.forEach(function(topic) {
     me.observerService.addObserver(me, topic, false);
   });
+  this.config = new Configuration();
   this[" is valid "] = true;
 }
 
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ Controller.prototype = {
     topics.forEach(function(topic) {
       me.observerService.removeObserver(me, topic);
     });
+    delete this.config;
     delete this[" is valid "];
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 50b516b..4c74806 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
   "id": "jid1-dnyWGmNL0bAoQQ",
   "description": "an add-on providing (most of?) Privoxy's functionality",
   "author": "Anthropohedron",
+  "preferences": [{
+    "name": "configJSON",
+    "title": "Configuration",
+    "description": "Configuration object serialized to JSON",
+    "type": "string",
+    "value": "null"
+  }],
   "license": "GPL 2.0",
   "version": "0.1"
 }
diff --git a/test/test-config.js b/test/test-config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33f788a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+var Configuration = require("./config").Configuration;
+
+exports["test config instantiate"] = function(assert) {
+  var config = new Configuration();
+  assert.ok(config, "Configuration instantiated");
+}
+
+require("sdk/test").run(exports);
+