diff --git a/examples/09_provider/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/09_provider/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..c19ef2fa4ee2ef74a9fc42791a54565ea4ccc815
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/09_provider/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+add_executable(09_sum_provider server.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(09_sum_provider thallium)
+add_executable(09_sum_client client.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(09_sum_client thallium)
diff --git a/examples/09_provider/client.cpp b/examples/09_provider/client.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..5c3dae1620560babb26213b70a71537b50d38cc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/09_provider/client.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#include <iostream>
+#include <thallium/serialization/stl/string.hpp>
+#include <thallium.hpp>
+
+namespace tl = thallium;
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+    if(argc != 3) {
+        std::cerr << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " <address> <provider_id>" << std::endl;
+        exit(0);
+    }
+    tl::engine myEngine("tcp", THALLIUM_CLIENT_MODE);
+    tl::remote_procedure sum   = myEngine.define("sum");
+    tl::remote_procedure prod  = myEngine.define("prod");
+    tl::remote_procedure hello = myEngine.define("hello").ignore_response();
+    tl::remote_procedure print = myEngine.define("print").ignore_response();
+    tl::endpoint server = myEngine.lookup(argv[1]);
+    uint16_t provider_id = atoi(argv[2]);
+    tl::provider_handle ph(server, provider_id);
+    int ret = sum.on(ph)(42,63);
+    std::cout << "(sum) Server answered " << ret << std::endl;
+    ret = prod.on(ph)(42,63);
+    std::cout << "(prod) Server answered " << ret << std::endl;
+    std::string name("Matthieu");
+    hello.on(ph)(name);
+    print.on(ph)(name);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/examples/09_provider/server.cpp b/examples/09_provider/server.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..2676044e50edcafa80d612a3b1d28d92fa443e09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/09_provider/server.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#include <iostream>
+#include <thallium.hpp>
+#include <thallium/serialization/stl/string.hpp>
+
+namespace tl = thallium;
+
+class my_sum_provider : public tl::provider<my_sum_provider> {
+
+    private:
+
+    void prod(const tl::request& req, int x, int y) {
+        std::cout << "Computing " << x << "*" << y << std::endl;
+        req.respond(x+y);
+    }
+
+    int sum(int x, int y) {
+        std::cout << "Computing " << x << "+" << y << std::endl;
+        return x+y;
+    }
+
+    void hello(const std::string& name) {
+        std::cout << "Hello, " << name << std::endl;
+    }
+
+    int print(const std::string& word) {
+        std::cout << "Printing " << word << std::endl;
+        return word.size();
+    }
+
+    public:
+
+    my_sum_provider(tl::engine& e, uint16_t provider_id=1)
+    : tl::provider<my_sum_provider>(e, provider_id) {
+        define("prod", &my_sum_provider::prod);
+        define("sum", &my_sum_provider::sum);
+        define("hello", &my_sum_provider::hello);
+        define("print", &my_sum_provider::print, tl::ignore_return_value());
+    }
+
+    ~my_sum_provider() {
+        wait_for_finalize();
+    }
+};
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+
+    uint16_t provider_id = 22;
+    tl::engine myEngine("tcp", THALLIUM_SERVER_MODE);
+    std::cout << "Server running at address " << myEngine.self()
+        << " with provider id " << provider_id << std::endl;
+    my_sum_provider myProvider(myEngine, provider_id);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 2ddadd8c735f7f4a53870d9ae01de0415f1d037c..dac6afb9c37b09147b7ae3d2d464f8522d9f5f47 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ add_subdirectory(05_stl)
 add_subdirectory(06_custom)
 add_subdirectory(07_rdma)
 add_subdirectory(08_async)
+add_subdirectory(09_provider)
diff --git a/include/thallium.hpp b/include/thallium.hpp
index 5aaec94b0d36a0d2a9bec6661c01f7f9400bc8a4..20131af958edd9a726de5af60a99bcd0a40eb824 100644
--- a/include/thallium.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium.hpp
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@
 #include <thallium/remote_procedure.hpp>
 #include <thallium/callable_remote_procedure.hpp>
 #include <thallium/remote_bulk.hpp>
+#include <thallium/provider.hpp>
+#include <thallium/provider_handle.hpp>
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/thallium/callable_remote_procedure.hpp b/include/thallium/callable_remote_procedure.hpp
index 93b2c3f28eba502c4b7f4ca6b4721332a65e837d..a6c9dad0e9e6a05e250ed32017ecc5bf8bc3133e 100644
--- a/include/thallium/callable_remote_procedure.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium/callable_remote_procedure.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ private:
     engine*     m_engine;
 	hg_handle_t m_handle;
     bool        m_ignore_response;
+    uint16_t    m_provider_id;
 
     /**
      * @brief Constructor. Made private since callable_remote_procedure can only
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ private:
      * @param ep endpoint on which to call the RPC.
      * @param ignore_resp whether the response should be ignored.
      */
-	callable_remote_procedure(engine& e, hg_id_t id, const endpoint& ep, bool ignore_resp);
+	callable_remote_procedure(engine& e, hg_id_t id, const endpoint& ep, 
+            bool ignore_resp, uint16_t provider_id=0);
 
     /**
      * @brief Sends the RPC to the endpoint (calls margo_forward), passing a buffer
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ private:
      */
      packed_response forward(const buffer& buf) const {
         hg_return_t ret;
-        ret = margo_forward(m_handle, const_cast<void*>(static_cast<const void*>(&buf)));
+        ret = margo_provider_forward(m_provider_id, 
+                m_handle, const_cast<void*>(static_cast<const void*>(&buf)));
         MARGO_ASSERT(ret, margo_forward);
         buffer output;
         if(m_ignore_response) return packed_response(std::move(output), *m_engine);
@@ -83,7 +86,8 @@ private:
     async_response iforward(const buffer& buf) {
         hg_return_t ret;
         margo_request req;
-        ret = margo_iforward(m_handle, const_cast<void*>(static_cast<const void*>(&buf)), &req);
+        ret = margo_provider_iforward(m_provider_id, 
+                m_handle, const_cast<void*>(static_cast<const void*>(&buf)), &req);
         MARGO_ASSERT(ret, margo_iforward);
         return async_response(req, *m_engine, *this, m_ignore_response);
     }
diff --git a/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp b/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp
index 6ebc4b84a5b6b33c664c9063591176367b2794a2..1b5c87e5c3a9dcce858420772f38353d0f77c193 100644
--- a/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium/endpoint.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@
 #include <margo.h>
 #include <thallium/margo_exception.hpp>
 
+namespace thallium {
+    class endpoint;
+}
+
+template<typename S>
+S& operator<<(S& s, const thallium::endpoint& e);
+
 namespace thallium {
 
 class engine;
@@ -95,8 +102,30 @@ public:
     bool is_null() const {
         return m_addr == HG_ADDR_NULL;
     }
+
+    template<typename S>
+    friend S& ::operator<<(S& s, const endpoint& e);
 };
 
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Streaming operator for endpoint, converts the endpoint
+ * into a string before feeding it to the string operator. This
+ * enables, for instance, streaming the endpoint into std::cout
+ * for logging without having to explicitely convert it into a
+ * string.
+ *
+ * @tparam S Type of stream.
+ * @param s Stream.
+ * @param e Endpoint.
+ *
+ * @return Reference to the provided stream.
+ */
+template<typename S>
+S& operator<<(S& s, const thallium::endpoint& e) {
+    s << (std::string)e;
+    return s;
+}
+    
 #endif
diff --git a/include/thallium/engine.hpp b/include/thallium/engine.hpp
index 93cb803f70cdebf0953ef2654ee20c9896fc2abd..53390660b9eb6af71bc9e7572e6dbf86276ea01a 100644
--- a/include/thallium/engine.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium/engine.hpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class bulk;
 class endpoint;
 class remote_bulk;
 class remote_procedure;
+template<typename T> class provider;
 
 /**
  * @brief The engine class is at the core of Thallium,
@@ -42,6 +43,8 @@ class engine {
     friend class remote_bulk;
     friend class remote_procedure;
 	friend class callable_remote_procedure;
+    template<typename T>
+    friend class provider;
 
 private:
 
@@ -204,6 +207,16 @@ public:
 		margo_finalize(m_mid);
 	}
 
+    /**
+     * @brief Makes the calling thread block until someone calls
+     * finalize on this engine. This function will not do anything
+     * if finalize was already called.
+     */
+    void wait_for_finalize() {
+        if(!m_finalize_called)
+            margo_wait_for_finalize(m_mid);
+    }
+
     /**
      * @brief Creates an endpoint from this engine.
      *
@@ -228,12 +241,15 @@ public:
      * @tparam Args Types of arguments accepted by the RPC.
      * @param name Name of the RPC.
      * @param fun Function to associate with the RPC.
+     * @param provider_id ID of the provider registering this RPC.
+     * @param pool Argobots pool to use when receiving this type of RPC
      *
      * @return a remote_procedure object.
      */
 	template<typename ... Args>
 	remote_procedure define(const std::string& name, 
-        const std::function<void(const request&, Args...)>& fun);
+        const std::function<void(const request&, Args...)>& fun,
+        uint16_t provider_id=0, ABT_pool pool=ABT_POOL_NULL);
 
     /**
      * @brief Defines an RPC with a name and a function pointer
@@ -242,11 +258,14 @@ public:
      * @tparam Args Types of arguments accepted by the RPC.
      * @param name Name of the RPC.
      * @param f Function to associate with the RPC.
+     * @param provider_id ID of the provider registering this RPC.
+     * @param pool Argobots pool to use when receiving this type of RPC.
      *
      * @return a remote_procedure object.
      */
     template<typename ... Args>
-    remote_procedure define(const std::string& name, void (*f)(const request&, Args...));
+    remote_procedure define(const std::string& name, void (*f)(const request&, Args...),
+            uint16_t provider_id=0, ABT_pool pool=ABT_POOL_NULL);
 
     /**
      * @brief Lookup an address and returns an endpoint object
@@ -268,12 +287,6 @@ public:
      */
     bulk expose(const std::vector<std::pair<void*,size_t>>& segments, bulk_mode flag);
 
-    /**
-     * @brief String representation of the engine's address.
-     *
-     * @return String representation of the engine's address.
-     */
-	operator std::string() const;
 };
 
 } // namespace thallium
@@ -288,12 +301,15 @@ namespace thallium {
 
 template<typename ... Args>
 remote_procedure engine::define(const std::string& name, 
-        const std::function<void(const request&, Args...)>& fun) {
+        const std::function<void(const request&, Args...)>& fun,
+        uint16_t provider_id, ABT_pool pool) {
 
-    hg_id_t id = margo_register_name(m_mid, name.c_str(),
-                    process_buffer,
-                    process_buffer,
-                    rpc_callback<rpc_t, false>);
+    hg_id_t id = margo_provider_register_name(m_mid, name.c_str(),
+                process_buffer,
+                process_buffer,
+                rpc_callback<rpc_t, false>,
+                provider_id,
+                pool);
 
     m_rpcs[id] = [fun,this](const request& r, const buffer& b) {
         std::function<void(Args...)> l = [&fun, &r](Args&&... args) {
@@ -318,8 +334,12 @@ remote_procedure engine::define(const std::string& name,
 }
 
 template<typename ... Args>
-remote_procedure engine::define(const std::string& name, void (*f)(const request&, Args...)) {
-    return define(name, std::function<void(const request&,Args...)>(f));
+remote_procedure engine::define(
+        const std::string& name,
+        void (*f)(const request&, Args...),
+        uint16_t provider_id, ABT_pool pool) {
+
+    return define(name, std::function<void(const request&,Args...)>(f), provider_id, pool);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/include/thallium/provider.hpp b/include/thallium/provider.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f080e80f3d925c1e519ee77c983b322d57fc25ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/thallium/provider.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+/*
+ * (C) 2017 The University of Chicago
+ * 
+ * See COPYRIGHT in top-level directory.
+ */
+#ifndef __THALLIUM_PROVIDER_HPP
+#define __THALLIUM_PROVIDER_HPP
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+#include <functional>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <atomic>
+#include <margo.h>
+#include <thallium/engine.hpp>
+
+namespace thallium {
+
+typedef std::integral_constant<bool,true> ignore_return_value;
+
+/**
+ * @brief The provider class represents an object that
+ * exposes its member functions as RPCs. It is a template
+ * class meant to be used as base class for other objects.
+ * For example:
+ * class MyProvider : public thallium::provider<MyProvider> { ... };
+ *
+ * @tparam T
+ */
+template<typename T>
+class provider {
+
+private:
+
+    engine&  m_engine;
+    uint16_t m_provider_id;
+
+public:
+
+	provider(engine& e, uint16_t provider_id)
+    : m_engine(e), m_provider_id(provider_id) {}
+
+    virtual ~provider() {}
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Copy-constructor is deleted.
+     */
+	provider(const provider& other)            = delete;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Move-constructor is deleted.
+     */
+	provider(provider&& other)                 = delete;
+    
+    /**
+     * @brief Move-assignment operator is deleted.
+     */
+	provider& operator=(provider&& other)      = delete;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Copy-assignment operator is deleted.
+     */
+	provider& operator=(const provider& other) = delete;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Waits for the engine to finalize.
+     */
+    inline void wait_for_finalize() {
+        m_engine.wait_for_finalize();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Finalize the engine.
+     */
+    inline void finalize() {
+        m_engine.finalize();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Defines an RPC using a member function of the child class.
+     * The member function should have a const request& as first parameter
+     * and use this request parameter to respond to the client.
+     *
+     * @tparam S type of the name (e.g. C-like string or std::string)
+     * @tparam R return value of the member function
+     * @tparam Args Arguments of the member function
+     * @param name name of the RPC
+     * @param T::*func member function
+     */
+    template<typename S, typename R, typename ... Args>
+    void define(S&& name, R(T::*func)(const request&, Args...)) {
+        T* self = dynamic_cast<T*>(this);
+        std::function<void(const request&, Args...)> fun = [self, func](const request& r, Args... args) {
+            (self->*func)(r, args...);
+        };
+        m_engine.define(std::forward<S>(name), fun, m_provider_id);
+    }
+
+private:
+
+    template<typename S, typename R, typename ... Args>
+    void define_member(S&& name, R(T::*func)(Args...), const std::integral_constant<bool, false>&) {
+        T* self = dynamic_cast<T*>(this);
+        std::function<void(const request&, Args...)> fun = [self, func](const request& req, Args... args) {
+            R r = (self->*func)(args...);
+            req.respond(r);
+        };
+        m_engine.define(std::forward<S>(name), fun, m_provider_id);
+    }
+
+    template<typename S, typename R, typename ... Args>
+    void define_member(S&& name, R(T::*func)(Args...), const std::integral_constant<bool, true>&) {
+        T* self = dynamic_cast<T*>(this);
+        std::function<void(const request&, Args...)> fun = [self, func](const request& req, Args... args) {
+            (self->*func)(args...);
+        };
+        m_engine.define(std::forward<S>(name), fun, m_provider_id).ignore_response();
+    }
+
+public:
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Defines an RPC from a member function of the child class.
+     * This member function doesn't have a const request& paramater, so
+     * the RPC will be formed by assuming the return value of the function
+     * is what is sent back to the client (nothing is sent back if the
+     * return type is void). If the member function returns something but
+     * this return value should not be sent back to the client, the caller
+     * can pass ignore_return_value() as last argument of define().
+     *
+     * @tparam S Type of the RPC name (e.g. std::string)
+     * @tparam R Return value of the member function.
+     * @tparam Args Argument types of the member function.
+     * @tparam X Dispatcher type.
+     * @param name Name of the RPC.
+     * @param T::*func Member function.
+     */
+    template<typename S, typename R, typename ... Args, typename X = typename std::is_void<R>::type>
+    inline void define(S&& name, R(T::*func)(Args...), X x = X()) {
+        define_member(std::forward<S>(name), func, x);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Get the engine associated with this provider.
+     *
+     * @return The engine associated with this provider.
+     */
+    const engine& get_engine() const {
+        return m_engine;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Get the engine associated with this provider.
+     *
+     * @return The engine associated with this provider.
+     */
+    engine& get_engine() {
+        return m_engine;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Get the provider id.
+     *
+     * @return The provider id.
+     */
+    uint16_t get_provider_id() const {
+        return m_provider_id;
+    }
+};
+
+} // namespace thallium
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp b/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e10ef8b33166ccbf20d181be73351def9c7fac61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/thallium/provider_handle.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+/*
+ * (C) 2017 The University of Chicago
+ * 
+ * See COPYRIGHT in top-level directory.
+ */
+#ifndef __THALLIUM_PROVIDER_HANDLE_HPP
+#define __THALLIUM_PROVIDER_HANDLE_HPP
+
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <string>
+#include <margo.h>
+#include <thallium/endpoint.hpp>
+#include <thallium/margo_exception.hpp>
+
+namespace thallium {
+
+/**
+ * The provider_handle class encapsulates an enpoint
+ * with a provider id to reference a particular provider object
+ * at a given address. provider_handle inherites from endpoint
+ * so it can be used wherever endpoint is needed. 
+ */
+class provider_handle : public endpoint {
+
+private:
+
+    uint16_t m_provider_id;
+
+public:
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Constructor.
+     *
+     * @param e enpoint to encapsulate.
+     * @param provider_id provider id.
+     */
+	provider_handle(endpoint e, uint16_t provider_id=0)
+	: endpoint(std::move(e)), m_provider_id(provider_id) {}
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Default constructor defined so that provider_handlers can
+     * be member of other objects and assigned later.
+     */
+    provider_handle() = default;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Copy constructor.
+     */
+	provider_handle(const provider_handle& other) = default;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Move constructor.
+     */
+	provider_handle(provider_handle&& other) = default;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Copy-assignment operator.
+     */
+	provider_handle& operator=(const provider_handle& other) = default;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Move-assignment operator.
+     */
+	provider_handle& operator=(provider_handle&& other) = default;
+	
+    /**
+     * @brief Destructor.
+     */
+	~provider_handle() = default;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Get the provider id.
+     *
+     * @return the provider id.
+     */
+    uint16_t provider_id() const {
+        return m_provider_id;
+    }
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/thallium/remote_procedure.hpp b/include/thallium/remote_procedure.hpp
index 6336a012cd4ff3a4e28e721790710892048d1ec8..66718e494d885d9668b30da172ef25591306497b 100644
--- a/include/thallium/remote_procedure.hpp
+++ b/include/thallium/remote_procedure.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ namespace thallium {
 
 class engine;
 class endpoint;
+class provider_handle;
 class callable_remote_procedure;
 
 /**
@@ -26,9 +27,9 @@ class remote_procedure {
 	friend class engine;
 
 private:
-    engine* m_engine;
-	hg_id_t m_id;
-    bool    m_ignore_response;
+    engine*  m_engine;
+	hg_id_t  m_id;
+    bool     m_ignore_response;
 
     /**
      * @brief Constructor. Made private because remote_procedure
@@ -76,6 +77,17 @@ public:
      */
 	callable_remote_procedure on(const endpoint& ep) const;
     
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Creates a callable remote_procedure by associating the
+     * remote_procedure with a particular provider_handle.
+     *
+     * @param ph provider_handle with which to associate the procedure.
+     *
+     * @return a callable_remote_procedure.
+     */
+    callable_remote_procedure on(const provider_handle& ph) const;
+
     /**
      * @brief Tell the remote_procedure that it should not expect responses.
      *
diff --git a/src/callable_remote_procedure.cpp b/src/callable_remote_procedure.cpp
index 16c4c941c5fd2f24dea9d0f4d3e06f6a6a3cf715..61cec60dcd444d14f6540442ae1f548376984389 100644
--- a/src/callable_remote_procedure.cpp
+++ b/src/callable_remote_procedure.cpp
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@
 
 namespace thallium {
 
-callable_remote_procedure::callable_remote_procedure(engine& e, hg_id_t id, const endpoint& ep, bool ignore_resp) 
-: m_engine(&e) {
+callable_remote_procedure::callable_remote_procedure(
+        engine& e, hg_id_t id, const endpoint& ep, bool ignore_resp, uint16_t provider_id) 
+: m_engine(&e), m_ignore_response(ignore_resp), m_provider_id(provider_id) {
     m_ignore_response = ignore_resp;
     hg_return_t ret = margo_create(ep.m_engine->m_mid, ep.m_addr, id, &m_handle);
     MARGO_ASSERT(ret, margo_create);
diff --git a/src/remote_procedure.cpp b/src/remote_procedure.cpp
index 8c9063abd337c57987f7f64a6acd0a4630da10be..cd12a99d57e71d07b86d975b56f30cb7f5b4e7da 100644
--- a/src/remote_procedure.cpp
+++ b/src/remote_procedure.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <thallium/remote_procedure.hpp>
 #include <thallium/callable_remote_procedure.hpp>
 #include <thallium/engine.hpp>
+#include <thallium/provider_handle.hpp>
 
 namespace thallium {
 
@@ -16,6 +17,10 @@ callable_remote_procedure remote_procedure::on(const endpoint& ep) const {
 	return callable_remote_procedure(*m_engine, m_id, ep, m_ignore_response);
 }
 
+callable_remote_procedure remote_procedure::on(const provider_handle& ph) const {
+    return callable_remote_procedure(*m_engine, m_id, ph, m_ignore_response, ph.provider_id());
+}
+
 remote_procedure& remote_procedure::ignore_response() {
     m_ignore_response = true;
     margo_registered_disable_response(m_engine->m_mid, m_id, HG_TRUE);