diff --git a/c-bindings/c_bindings.c b/c-bindings/c_bindings.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1dd98157f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c-bindings/c_bindings.c
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include "c_bindings.h"
+
+libst_logging_callback_function_t libst_logging_callback_function = NULL;
+
+void libst_invoke_logging_callback(int log_level, const char *message, size_t message_size)
+{
+	if (!libst_logging_callback_function) {
+		return;
+	}
+	libst_logging_callback_function(log_level, message, message_size);
+}
diff --git a/c-bindings/c_bindings.go b/c-bindings/c_bindings.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a5aa9bc54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c-bindings/c_bindings.go
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+package main
+
+import "os"
+import "unsafe"
+import "path/filepath"
+
+import "github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/build"
+import "github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/logger"
+import "github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/locations"
+import "github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/protocol"
+import "github.com/syncthing/syncthing/lib/syncthing"
+
+// include header for required C helper functions (so the following comment is NO comment)
+
+// #include "c_bindings.h"
+import "C"
+
+var theApp *syncthing.App
+var myID protocol.DeviceID
+
+const (
+	tlsDefaultCommonName = "syncthing"
+)
+
+//export libst_own_device_id
+func libst_own_device_id() string {
+    return myID.String()
+}
+
+//export libst_init_logging
+func libst_init_logging() {
+	l.AddHandler(logger.LevelVerbose, func(level logger.LogLevel, msg string) {
+		runes := []byte(msg)
+		length := len(runes)
+		if length <= 0 {
+			return
+		}
+		C.libst_invoke_logging_callback(C.int(level), (*C.char)(unsafe.Pointer(&runes[0])), C.size_t(len(runes)))
+	})
+}
+
+//export libst_run_syncthing
+func libst_run_syncthing(config_dir string, gui_address string, gui_api_key string, verbose bool, allow_newer_config bool, no_default_config bool) int {
+	// return if already running (for simplicity we only allow one Syncthing instance at at time for now)
+	if theApp != nil {
+		return 0
+	}
+
+	// set specified GUI address and API key
+	if gui_address != "" {
+		os.Setenv("STGUIADDRESS", gui_address)
+	}
+	if gui_api_key != "" {
+		os.Setenv("STGUIADDRESS", gui_api_key)
+	}
+
+	// set specified config dir
+	if config_dir != "" {
+		if !filepath.IsAbs(config_dir) {
+			var err error
+			config_dir, err = filepath.Abs(config_dir)
+			if err != nil {
+				l.Warnln("Failed to make config path absolute:", err)
+				return 3
+			}
+		}
+		if err := locations.SetBaseDir(locations.ConfigBaseDir, config_dir); err != nil {
+			l.Warnln(err)
+			return 3
+		}
+	}
+
+	// ensure that we have a certificate and key
+	cert, certErr := syncthing.LoadOrGenerateCertificate(
+		locations.Get(locations.CertFile),
+		locations.Get(locations.KeyFile),
+	)
+	if certErr != nil {
+		l.Warnln("Failed to load/generate certificate:", certErr)
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	// load config
+	cfg, cfgErr := syncthing.LoadConfigAtStartup(locations.Get(locations.ConfigFile), cert, allow_newer_config, no_default_config)
+	if cfgErr != nil {
+		l.Warnln("Failed to initialize config:", cfgErr)
+		return 2
+	}
+
+	// open database
+	dbFile := locations.Get(locations.Database)
+	ldb, dbErr := syncthing.OpenGoleveldb(dbFile)
+	if dbErr != nil {
+		l.Warnln("Error opening database:", dbErr)
+		return 4
+	}
+
+	appOpts := syncthing.Options{
+		AssetDir: os.Getenv("STGUIASSETS"),
+		ProfilerURL: os.Getenv("STPROFILER"),
+		NoUpgrade: true,
+		Verbose: verbose,
+	}
+	theApp = syncthing.New(cfg, ldb, cert, appOpts)
+
+	// start Syncthing and block until it has finished
+	returnCode := int(theApp.Run())
+	theApp = nil
+	return returnCode
+}
+
+//export libst_stop_syncthing
+func libst_stop_syncthing() int {
+	if theApp != nil {
+		return int(theApp.Stop(syncthing.ExitSuccess))
+	} else {
+		return 0;
+	}
+}
+
+//export libst_reset_database
+func libst_reset_database() {
+	os.RemoveAll(locations.Get(locations.Database))
+}
+
+//export libst_syncthing_version
+func libst_syncthing_version() *C.char {
+	return C.CString(build.Version)
+}
+
+//export libst_long_syncthing_version
+func libst_long_syncthing_version() *C.char {
+	return C.CString(build.LongVersion)
+}
+
+func main() {
+    // prevent "runtime.main_main·f: function main is undeclared in the main package"
+}
+
diff --git a/c-bindings/c_bindings.h b/c-bindings/c_bindings.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4e32ecb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c-bindings/c_bindings.h
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#ifndef LIBSYNCTHING_INTERNAL_H
+#define LIBSYNCTHING_INTERNAL_H
+
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+// allow registration of callback function
+typedef void (*libst_logging_callback_function_t) (int logLevel, const char *msg, size_t msgSize);
+extern libst_logging_callback_function_t libst_logging_callback_function;
+extern void libst_invoke_logging_callback(int log_level, const char *message, size_t message_size);
+
+#endif // LIBSYNCTHING_INTERNAL_H
diff --git a/c-bindings/debug.go b/c-bindings/debug.go
new file mode 120000
index 000000000..117c10801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/c-bindings/debug.go
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../cmd/syncthing/debug.go
\ No newline at end of file