diff --git a/include/bake-bulk.h b/include/bake-bulk.h
index b64a345f847594b33484cee80315daf522a31d27..20fd49b57a16e6109ec2ae96c6a3899ff2e450f3 100644
--- a/include/bake-bulk.h
+++ b/include/bake-bulk.h
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@
  */
 typedef uint64_t bake_target_id_t;
 
+/**
+ * Persistent, opaque identifier for a bulk region within a BAKE target.
+ */
+#define BAKE_BULK_REGION_ID_SIZE 16
+typedef struct {
+    char data[BAKE_BULK_REGION_ID_SIZE];
+} bake_bulk_region_id_t;
+
 /**
  * Obtain identifying information for a bake target through the provided
  * remote mercury address.
@@ -25,9 +33,26 @@ typedef uint64_t bake_target_id_t;
 int bake_probe_instance(
     const char *mercury_dest,
     bake_target_id_t *bti);
- 
+  
+/**
+ * Create a bounded-size bulk data region.  The resulting region can be
+ * written using bulk write operations, and can be persisted (once writes are
+ * complete) with a a bulk persist operation.  The region is not valid for
+ * read access until persisted.
+ *
+ * @param [in] bti BAKE target identifier
+ * @param [in] region_size size of region to be created
+ * @param [out] rid identifier for new region
+ * @returns 0 on success, -1 on failure
+ */
+int bake_bulk_create(
+    bake_target_id_t bti,
+    uint64_t region_size,
+    bake_bulk_region_id_t *rid);
+
 /**
- * Release resources associated with access to a target
+ * Release local resources associated with access to a target; does not
+ * modify the target in any way.
  *
  * @param [in] bti BAKE target_identifier
  */
diff --git a/src/bake-bulk.c b/src/bake-bulk.c
index 8d3402c32deb6d45dd028a60fb3de0fff5658a84..36c82fd1c743a3b441202faa5d42a8032e6ff765 100644
--- a/src/bake-bulk.c
+++ b/src/bake-bulk.c
@@ -115,3 +115,13 @@ int bake_shutdown_service(bake_target_id_t bti)
     return(0);
 }
 
+int bake_bulk_create(
+    bake_target_id_t bti,
+    uint64_t region_size,
+    bake_bulk_region_id_t *rid)
+{
+
+    return(-1);
+}
+
+