diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index a6e9048949b..39b19b5e5cc 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ BITCOIN_CORE_H = \
   interfaces/wallet.h \
   kernel/chainstatemanager_opts.h \
   kernel/coinstats.h \
+  kernel/context.h \
   key.h \
   key_io.h \
   logging.h \
diff --git a/src/kernel/context.h b/src/kernel/context.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e304dcb006e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/context.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2022 The Bitcoin Core developers
+// Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
+// file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
+
+#ifndef BITCOIN_KERNEL_CONTEXT_H
+#define BITCOIN_KERNEL_CONTEXT_H
+
+namespace kernel {
+//! Context struct holding the kernel library's logically global state, and
+//! passed to external libbitcoin_kernel functions which need access to this
+//! state. The kernel libary API is a work in progress, so state organization
+//! and member list will evolve over time.
+//!
+//! State stored directly in this struct should be simple. More complex state
+//! should be stored to std::unique_ptr members pointing to opaque types.
+struct Context {
+};
+} // namespace kernel
+
+#endif // BITCOIN_KERNEL_CONTEXT_H
diff --git a/src/node/context.h b/src/node/context.h
index 91ba4562190..31be3087875 100644
--- a/src/node/context.h
+++ b/src/node/context.h
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #ifndef BITCOIN_NODE_CONTEXT_H
 #define BITCOIN_NODE_CONTEXT_H
 
+#include <kernel/context.h>
+
 #include <cassert>
 #include <functional>
 #include <memory>
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ namespace node {
 //! any member functions. It should just be a collection of references that can
 //! be used without pulling in unwanted dependencies or functionality.
 struct NodeContext {
+    //! libbitcoin_kernel context
+    std::unique_ptr<kernel::Context> kernel;
     //! Init interface for initializing current process and connecting to other processes.
     interfaces::Init* init{nullptr};
     std::unique_ptr<AddrMan> addrman;