diff --git a/chain/index/interface.go b/chain/index/interface.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ea701e811
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chain/index/interface.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package index
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-state-types/abi"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+)
+
+// MsgInfo is the Message metadata the index tracks.
+type MsgInfo struct {
+	// the message this record refers to
+	Message cid.Cid
+	// the epoch whre this message was executed
+	Epoch abi.ChainEpoch
+	// the tipset where this messages executed
+	Tipset types.TipSetKey
+	// the first block in the tipset where the message was executed
+	Block cid.Cid
+	// the index of the message in the block
+	Index int
+}
+
+// MsgIndex is the interface to the message index
+type MsgIndex interface {
+	// GetMsgInfo retrieves the message metadata through the index.
+	GetMsgInfo(ctx context.Context, m cid.Cid) (MsgInfo, error)
+	// Close closes the index
+	Close() error
+}
diff --git a/chain/index/msgindex.go b/chain/index/msgindex.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c5bce4915
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chain/index/msgindex.go
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+package index
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log/v2"
+	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
+	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/store"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/chain/types"
+)
+
+type msgIndex struct {
+	cs *store.ChainStore
+
+	db *sql.DB
+}
+
+var _ MsgIndex = (*msgIndex)(nil)
+
+var log = logging.Logger("chain/index")
+
+var (
+	dbName = "msgindex.db"
+
+	coalesceMinDelay      = 100 * time.Millisecond
+	coalesceMaxDelay      = time.Second
+	coalesceMergeInterval = 100 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
+func NewMsgIndex(basePath string, cs *store.ChainStore) (MsgIndex, error) {
+	var (
+		mkdb   bool
+		dbPath string
+		err    error
+	)
+
+	if basePath == ":memory:" {
+		// for testing
+		mkdb = true
+		dbPath = basePath
+		goto opendb
+	}
+
+	err = os.MkdirAll(basePath, 0755)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("error creating msgindex base directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	dbPath = path.Join(basePath, dbName)
+	_, err = os.Stat(dbPath)
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist):
+		mkdb = true
+
+	case err != nil:
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("error stating msgindex database: %w", err)
+	}
+
+opendb:
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		// TODO [nice to have]: automaticaly delete corrupt databases
+		//      but for now we can just error and let the operator delete.
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("error opening msgindex database: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if mkdb {
+		err = createTables(db)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("error creating msgindex database: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		err = reconcileIndex(db, cs)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("error reconciling msgindex database: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	msgIndex := &msgIndex{db: db, cs: cs}
+	err = msgIndex.prepareStatements()
+	if err != nil {
+		err2 := db.Close()
+		if err2 != nil {
+			log.Errorf("error closing msgindex database: %s", err2)
+		}
+
+		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("error preparing msgindex database statements: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	rnf := store.WrapHeadChangeCoalescer(
+		msgIndex.onHeadChange,
+		coalesceMinDelay,
+		coalesceMaxDelay,
+		coalesceMergeInterval,
+	)
+	cs.SubscribeHeadChanges(rnf)
+
+	return msgIndex, nil
+}
+
+// init utilities
+func createTables(db *sql.DB) error {
+	// TODO
+	return errors.New("TODO: index.createTables")
+}
+
+func reconcileIndex(db *sql.DB, cs *store.ChainStore) error {
+	// TODO
+	return errors.New("TODO: index.reconcileIndex")
+}
+
+func (x *msgIndex) prepareStatements() error {
+	// TODO
+	return errors.New("TODO: msgIndex.prepareStatements")
+}
+
+// head change notifee
+func (x *msgIndex) onHeadChange(rev, app []*types.TipSet) error {
+	// TODO
+	return errors.New("TODO: msgIndex.onHeadChange")
+}
+
+// interface
+func (x *msgIndex) GetMsgInfo(ctx context.Context, m cid.Cid) (MsgInfo, error) {
+	// TODO
+	return MsgInfo{}, errors.New("TODO: msgIndex.GetMsgInfo")
+}
+
+func (x *msgIndex) Close() error {
+	// TODO
+	return errors.New("TODO: msgIndex.Close")
+}