diff --git a/Include/codecs.h b/Include/codecs.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..257629d383d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Include/codecs.h
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#ifndef Py_CODECREGISTRY_H
+#define Py_CODECREGISTRY_H
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+   Python Codec Registry and support functions
+
+
+Written by Marc-Andre Lemburg (mal@lemburg.com).
+
+(c) Copyright CNRI, All Rights Reserved. NO WARRANTY.
+
+   ------------------------------------------------------------------------ */
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(int) PyCodec_Register(
+       PyObject *search_function
+       );
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(PyObject *) _PyCodec_Lookup(
+       const char *encoding
+       );
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(PyObject *) PyCodec_Encoder(
+       const char *encoding
+       );
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(PyObject *) PyCodec_Decoder(
+       const char *encoding
+       );
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(PyObject *) PyCodec_StreamReader(
+       const char *encoding,
+       PyObject *stream,
+       const char *errors
+       );
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(PyObject *) PyCodec_Encode(
+       PyObject *object,
+       const char *encoding,
+       const char *errors
+       );
+
+extern DL_IMPORT(PyObject *) PyCodec_Decode(
+       PyObject *object,
+       const char *encoding,
+       const char *errors
+       );
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+#endif /* !Py_CODECREGISTRY_H */