diff --git a/src/lib/in.c b/src/lib/in.c
index 87d04279e..6443e0e34 100644
--- a/src/lib/in.c
+++ b/src/lib/in.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include "internal.h"
+#include "in.h"
 
 // data collected from responses to our terminal queries.
 typedef struct termqueries {
@@ -27,15 +28,18 @@ typedef struct inputctx {
 #endif
   unsigned char ibuf[BUFSIZ]; // we dump raw reads into this ringbuffer, and
                               //  process them all post-read
+  int ibufvalid, ibufwrite;   // our bookkeeping for ibuf;
+                              //  we mustn't read() if ibufvalid == sizeof(ibuf)
   cursorloc* csrs;    // cursor reports are dumped here
   ncinput* inputs;    // processed input is dumped here
   int csize, isize;   // total number of slots in csrs/inputs
   int cvalid, ivalid; // population count of csrs/inputs
   int cwrite, iwrite; // slot where we'll write the next csr/input;
                       //  we cannot write if valid == size
-  int cread, iread;   // slot from which to read the next csr/input;
-                      //  we cannot read if valid == 0
+  int cread, iread;   // slot from which clients read the next csr/input;
+                      //  they cannot read if valid == 0
   tinfo* ti;          // link back to tinfo
+  pthread_t tid;      // tid for input thread
 } inputctx;
 
 static inline inputctx*
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ create_inputctx(tinfo* ti){
         i->cvalid = i->ivalid = 0;
         i->cwrite = i->iwrite = 0;
         i->cread = i->iread = 0;
+        i->ibufvalid = i->ibufwrite = 0;
         return i;
       }
       free(i->csrs);
@@ -69,3 +74,34 @@ free_inputctx(inputctx* i){
     free(i);
   }
 }
+
+static void*
+input_thread(void* vmarshall){
+  inputctx* ictx = vmarshall;
+  for(;;){
+    if(ictx->ibufvalid == sizeof(ictx->ibuf)){
+      // we can't read any more. need clients to clear their buffers.
+      // sleep on condvar FIXME
+    }
+  }
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+int init_inputlayer(tinfo* ti){
+  inputctx* ictx = create_inputctx(ti);
+  if(ictx == NULL){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(pthread_create(&ictx->tid, NULL, input_thread, ictx)){
+    free_inputctx(ictx);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  // FIXME give ti a reference to ictx
+  loginfo("spun up input thread\n");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int stop_inputlayer(tinfo* ti){
+  // FIXME get ictx reference from ti, kill thread, free_inputctx()
+  return 0;
+}