diff --git a/boost-dbus/include/dbus/impl/connection.ipp b/boost-dbus/include/dbus/impl/connection.ipp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24a257d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boost-dbus/include/dbus/impl/connection.ipp
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// Copyright (c) Benjamin Kietzman (github.com/bkietz)
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+// file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#ifndef DBUS_CONNECTION_IPP
+#define DBUS_CONNECTION_IPP
+
+#include <dbus/dbus.h>
+#include <dbus/detail/watch_timeout.hpp>
+
+#include <boost/atomic.hpp>
+
+namespace dbus {
+namespace impl {
+
+class connection {
+ public:
+  boost::atomic<bool> is_paused;
+  DBusConnection* conn;
+
+  connection() : is_paused(true), conn(NULL) {}
+
+  void open(boost::asio::io_service& io, int bus) {
+    error e;
+    conn = dbus_bus_get_private((DBusBusType)bus, e);
+    e.throw_if_set();
+
+    dbus_connection_set_exit_on_disconnect(conn, false);
+
+    detail::set_watch_timeout_dispatch_functions(conn, io);
+  }
+
+  void open(boost::asio::io_service& io, const string& address) {
+    error e;
+    conn = dbus_connection_open_private(address.c_str(), e);
+    e.throw_if_set();
+
+    dbus_bus_register(conn, e);
+    e.throw_if_set();
+
+    dbus_connection_set_exit_on_disconnect(conn, false);
+
+    detail::set_watch_timeout_dispatch_functions(conn, io);
+  }
+
+  ~connection() {
+    if (conn != NULL) {
+      dbus_connection_close(conn);
+      dbus_connection_unref(conn);
+    }
+  }
+
+  operator DBusConnection*() { return conn; }
+  operator const DBusConnection*() const { return conn; }
+
+  message send_with_reply_and_block(message& m,
+                                    int timeout_in_milliseconds = -1) {
+    error e;
+    DBusMessage* out = dbus_connection_send_with_reply_and_block(
+        conn, m, timeout_in_milliseconds, e);
+    e.throw_if_set();
+    message reply(out);
+
+    return reply;
+  }
+
+  void send(message& m) {
+    // ignoring message serial for now
+    dbus_connection_send(conn, m, NULL);
+  }
+
+  void send_with_reply(message& m, DBusPendingCall** p,
+                       int timeout_in_milliseconds = -1) {
+    dbus_connection_send_with_reply(conn, m, p, timeout_in_milliseconds);
+  }
+
+  // begin asynchronous operation
+  // FIXME should not get io from an argument
+  void start(boost::asio::io_service& io) {
+    bool old_value(true);
+    if (is_paused.compare_exchange_strong(old_value, false)) {
+      // If two threads call connection::async_send()
+      // simultaneously on a paused connection, then
+      // only one will pass the CAS instruction and
+      // only one dispatch_handler will be injected.
+      io.post(detail::dispatch_handler(io, conn));
+    }
+  }
+
+  void cancel(boost::asio::io_service& io) {
+    bool old_value(false);
+    if (is_paused.compare_exchange_strong(old_value, true)) {
+      // TODO
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+}  // namespace impl
+}  // namespace dbus
+
+#endif  // DBUS_CONNECTION_IPP