diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16d6212
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#include "user_header.hpp"
+
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+
+namespace openpower
+{
+namespace pels
+{
+
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+
+Stream& operator>>(Stream& s, UserHeader& uh)
+{
+    s >> uh._header >> uh._eventSubsystem >> uh._eventScope >>
+        uh._eventSeverity >> uh._eventType >> uh._reserved4Byte1 >>
+        uh._problemDomain >> uh._problemVector >> uh._actionFlags >>
+        uh._reserved4Byte2;
+    return s;
+}
+
+Stream& operator<<(Stream& s, UserHeader& uh)
+{
+    s << uh._header << uh._eventSubsystem << uh._eventScope << uh._eventSeverity
+      << uh._eventType << uh._reserved4Byte1 << uh._problemDomain
+      << uh._problemVector << uh._actionFlags << uh._reserved4Byte2;
+    return s;
+}
+
+UserHeader::UserHeader(Stream& pel)
+{
+    try
+    {
+        pel >> *this;
+        validate();
+    }
+    catch (const std::exception& e)
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Cannot unflatten user header",
+                        entry("ERROR=%s", e.what()));
+        _valid = false;
+    }
+}
+
+void UserHeader::validate()
+{
+    bool failed = false;
+    if (header().id != userHeaderSectionID)
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Invalid user header section ID",
+                        entry("ID=0x%X", header().id));
+        failed = true;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (header().version != userHeaderVersion)
+    {
+        log<level::ERR>("Invalid user header version",
+                        entry("VERSION=0x%X", header().version));
+        failed = true;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    _valid = (failed) ? false : true;
+}
+
+} // namespace pels
+} // namespace openpower