diff --git a/meta-phosphor/classes/phosphor-ipmi-fru.bbclass b/meta-phosphor/classes/phosphor-ipmi-fru.bbclass
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d76bbc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta-phosphor/classes/phosphor-ipmi-fru.bbclass
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+hostfw_datadir="${datadir}/phosphor-ipmi-fru/hostfw"
diff --git a/meta-phosphor/common/recipes-phosphor/ipmi/phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config-example-native.bb b/meta-phosphor/common/recipes-phosphor/ipmi/phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config-example-native.bb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aca1d0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta-phosphor/common/recipes-phosphor/ipmi/phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config-example-native.bb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+SUMMARY = "Sample hostfw inventory map for phosphor-ipmi-fru"
+PR = "r1"
+
+inherit native
+inherit phosphor-ipmi-fru
+
+require phosphor-ipmi-fru.inc
+
+PROVIDES += "virtual/phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config"
+
+S = "${WORKDIR}/git"
+
+do_install() {
+        DEST=${D}${hostfw_datadir}
+        install -d ${DEST}
+
+        # TODO: copy example hostfw yaml to ${DEST}/config.yaml
+        # install fru-types.yaml ${DEST}/config.yaml
+}
diff --git a/meta-phosphor/conf/distro/include/phosphor-defaults.inc b/meta-phosphor/conf/distro/include/phosphor-defaults.inc
index 1740c7e..221e960 100644
--- a/meta-phosphor/conf/distro/include/phosphor-defaults.inc
+++ b/meta-phosphor/conf/distro/include/phosphor-defaults.inc
@@ -33,5 +33,14 @@
 # the phosphor-ipmi-fru build process in the native sysroot.
 PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/phosphor-ipmi-fru-config ?= "phosphor-ipmi-fru-config-example-native"
 
+# virtual/phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config
+#
+# The phosphor-ipmi-fru application is data-driven and requires an input
+# mapping of how the host firmware reports inventory via IPMI.
+# This virtual is a native recipe that provides that mapping by installing
+# configuration files in the format and native sysroot location expected by
+# the phosphor-ipmi-fru build process.
+PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config ?= "phosphor-ipmi-fru-hostfw-config-example-native"
+
 OBMC_DBUS_PATH_ROOT ?= "/xyz/openbmc_project"
 OBMC_DBUS_IFACE_ROOT ?= "xyz.openbmc_project"