diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4a8dc2c..afbdd97 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@
 CHIP_OBJS = jedec.o stm50flw0x0x.o w39.o w29ee011.o \
 	sst28sf040.o m29f400bt.o 82802ab.o pm49fl00x.o \
 	sst49lfxxxc.o sst_fwhub.o flashchips.o spi.o spi25.o sharplhf00l04.o \
-	a25.o at25.o
+	a25.o at25.o opaque.o
 
 LIB_OBJS = layout.o
 
diff --git a/chipdrivers.h b/chipdrivers.h
index 958c59a..2746e52 100644
--- a/chipdrivers.h
+++ b/chipdrivers.h
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@
 int spi_write_chunked(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len, int chunksize);
 int spi_aai_write(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len);
 
+/* opaque.c */
+int probe_opaque(struct flashchip *flash);
+int read_opaque(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len);
+int write_opaque(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len);
+int erase_opaque(struct flashchip *flash, unsigned int blockaddr, unsigned int blocklen);
+
 /* a25.c */
 int spi_prettyprint_status_register_amic_a25l05p(struct flashchip *flash);
 int spi_prettyprint_status_register_amic_a25l40p(struct flashchip *flash);
diff --git a/flash.h b/flash.h
index 535c1b8..c91e954 100644
--- a/flash.h
+++ b/flash.h
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@
 	BUS_LPC		= 1 << 1,
 	BUS_FWH		= 1 << 2,
 	BUS_SPI		= 1 << 3,
+	BUS_PROG	= 1 << 4,
 	BUS_NONSPI	= BUS_PARALLEL | BUS_LPC | BUS_FWH,
-	BUS_UNKNOWN	= BUS_PARALLEL | BUS_LPC | BUS_FWH | BUS_SPI,
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/flashchips.c b/flashchips.c
index 26581a8..7ce4b58 100644
--- a/flashchips.c
+++ b/flashchips.c
@@ -8874,6 +8874,28 @@
 	},
 
 	{
+		.vendor		= "Programmer",
+		.name		= "Opaque flash chip",
+		.bustype	= BUS_PROG,
+		.manufacture_id	= PROGMANUF_ID,
+		.model_id	= PROGDEV_ID,
+		.total_size	= 0,
+		.page_size	= 256,
+		/* probe is assumed to work, rest will be filled in by probe */
+		.tested		= TEST_OK_PROBE,
+		.probe		= probe_opaque,
+		/* eraseblock sizes will be set by the probing function */
+		.block_erasers	=
+		{
+			{
+				.block_erase = erase_opaque,
+			}
+		},
+		.write		= write_opaque,
+		.read		= read_opaque,
+	},
+
+	{
 		.vendor		= "AMIC",
 		.name		= "unknown AMIC SPI chip",
 		.bustype	= BUS_SPI,
diff --git a/flashchips.h b/flashchips.h
index 2c939e4..03efb86 100644
--- a/flashchips.h
+++ b/flashchips.h
@@ -646,4 +646,7 @@
 #define WINBOND_W49V002A	0xB0
 #define WINBOND_W49V002FA	0x32
 
+#define PROGMANUF_ID		0xFFFE	/* dummy ID for opaque chips behind a programmer */
+#define PROGDEV_ID		0x01	/* dummy ID for opaque chips behind a programmer */
+
 #endif /* !FLASHCHIPS_H */
diff --git a/opaque.c b/opaque.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13c6a09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opaque.c
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the flashrom project.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2011 Carl-Daniel Hailfinger
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; version 2 of the License.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301 USA
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Contains the opaque programmer framework.
+ * An opaque programmer is a programmer which does not provide direct access
+ * to the flash chip and which abstracts all flash chip properties into a
+ * programmer specific interface.
+ */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include "flash.h"
+#include "flashchips.h"
+#include "chipdrivers.h"
+#include "programmer.h"
+
+const struct opaque_programmer opaque_programmer_none = {
+	.max_data_read = MAX_DATA_UNSPECIFIED,
+	.max_data_write = MAX_DATA_UNSPECIFIED,
+	.probe = NULL,
+	.read = NULL,
+	.write = NULL,
+	.erase = NULL,
+};
+
+const struct opaque_programmer *opaque_programmer = &opaque_programmer_none;
+
+int probe_opaque(struct flashchip *flash)
+{
+	if (!opaque_programmer->probe) {
+		msg_perr("%s called before register_opaque_programmer. "
+			 "Please report a bug at flashrom@flashrom.org\n",
+			 __func__);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return opaque_programmer->probe(flash);
+}
+
+int read_opaque(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len)
+{
+	if (!opaque_programmer->read) {
+		msg_perr("%s called before register_opaque_programmer. "
+			 "Please report a bug at flashrom@flashrom.org\n",
+			 __func__);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	return opaque_programmer->read(flash, buf, start, len);
+}
+
+int write_opaque(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len)
+{
+	if (!opaque_programmer->write) {
+		msg_perr("%s called before register_opaque_programmer. "
+			 "Please report a bug at flashrom@flashrom.org\n",
+			 __func__);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	return opaque_programmer->write(flash, buf, start, len);
+}
+
+int erase_opaque(struct flashchip *flash, unsigned int blockaddr, unsigned int blocklen)
+{
+	if (!opaque_programmer->erase) {
+		msg_perr("%s called before register_opaque_programmer. "
+			 "Please report a bug at flashrom@flashrom.org\n",
+			 __func__);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	return opaque_programmer->erase(flash, blockaddr, blocklen);
+}
+
+void register_opaque_programmer(const struct opaque_programmer *pgm)
+{
+	if (!pgm->probe || !pgm->read || !pgm->write || !pgm->erase) {
+		msg_perr("%s called with one of probe/read/write/erase being "
+			 "NULL. Please report a bug at flashrom@flashrom.org\n",
+			 __func__);
+		return;
+	}
+	opaque_programmer = pgm;
+	buses_supported |= BUS_PROG;
+}
diff --git a/print.c b/print.c
index 62904c9..1371dcd 100644
--- a/print.c
+++ b/print.c
@@ -32,13 +32,11 @@
 char *flashbuses_to_text(enum chipbustype bustype)
 {
 	char *ret = calloc(1, 1);
-	if (bustype == BUS_UNKNOWN) {
-		ret = strcat_realloc(ret, "Unknown, ");
 	/*
 	 * FIXME: Once all chipsets and flash chips have been updated, NONSPI
 	 * will cease to exist and should be eliminated here as well.
 	 */
-	} else if (bustype == BUS_NONSPI) {
+	if (bustype == BUS_NONSPI) {
 		ret = strcat_realloc(ret, "Non-SPI, ");
 	} else {
 		if (bustype & BUS_PARALLEL)
@@ -49,6 +47,8 @@
 			ret = strcat_realloc(ret, "FWH, ");
 		if (bustype & BUS_SPI)
 			ret = strcat_realloc(ret, "SPI, ");
+		if (bustype & BUS_PROG)
+			ret = strcat_realloc(ret, "Programmer-specific, ");
 		if (bustype == BUS_NONE)
 			ret = strcat_realloc(ret, "None, ");
 	}
diff --git a/programmer.h b/programmer.h
index 3d35a46..16947f1 100644
--- a/programmer.h
+++ b/programmer.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #ifndef __PROGRAMMER_H__
 #define __PROGRAMMER_H__ 1
 
+#include "flash.h"	/* for chipaddr and flashchip */
+
 enum programmer {
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
 	PROGRAMMER_INTERNAL,
@@ -601,6 +603,19 @@
 int wbsio_check_for_spi(void);
 #endif
 
+/* opaque.c */
+struct opaque_programmer {
+	int max_data_read;
+	int max_data_write;
+	/* Specific functions for this programmer */
+	int (*probe) (struct flashchip *flash);
+	int (*read) (struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len);
+	int (*write) (struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *buf, int start, int len);
+	int (*erase) (struct flashchip *flash, unsigned int blockaddr, unsigned int blocklen);
+};
+extern const struct opaque_programmer *opaque_programmer;
+void register_opaque_programmer(const struct opaque_programmer *pgm);
+
 /* serprog.c */
 #if CONFIG_SERPROG == 1
 int serprog_init(void);