diff --git a/gpio_handle.cpp b/gpio_handle.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a46ae2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gpio_handle.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#include "gpio_handle.hpp"
+
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <gpioplus/chip.hpp>
+#include <gpioplus/handle.hpp>
+#include <memory>
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace gpio
+{
+
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+
+std::unique_ptr<gpioplus::Handle> BuildGpioHandle(const std::string& gpiochip,
+                                                  const std::string& line)
+{
+    char *gpioEnd, *lineEnd;
+    unsigned long chipId = std::strtoul(gpiochip.c_str(), &gpioEnd, 10);
+    unsigned long lineOffset = std::strtoul(line.c_str(), &lineEnd, 10);
+
+    if (!gpioEnd || gpioEnd != &gpiochip.c_str()[gpiochip.length()])
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Unable to handle giochip entry",
+                        entry("GPIOCHIP=%s", gpiochip.c_str()));
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    if (!lineEnd || lineEnd != &line.c_str()[line.length()])
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Unable to handle line entry",
+                        entry("LINE=%s", line.c_str()));
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    try
+    {
+        gpioplus::Chip chip(chipId);
+        gpioplus::HandleFlags flags(chip.getLineInfo(lineOffset).flags);
+        flags.output = true;
+        std::vector<gpioplus::Handle::Line> lines = {
+            {static_cast<uint32_t>(lineOffset), 0}};
+
+        return std::make_unique<gpioplus::Handle>(chip, lines, flags,
+                                                  "phosphor-hwmon");
+    }
+    catch (const std::exception& e)
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Unable to set up GPIO handle",
+                        entry("ERROR=%s", e.what()));
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
+} // namespace gpio