diff --git a/lib/rackstash/class_registry.rb b/lib/rackstash/class_registry.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..953f45e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rackstash/class_registry.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+#
+# Copyright 2017 Holger Just
+#
+# This software may be modified and distributed under the terms
+# of the MIT license. See the LICENSE.txt file for details.
+
+module Rackstash
+  class ClassRegistry
+    include ::Enumerable
+
+    # @return [String] the human-readable singular name of the registered
+    #   objects. It is used to build more useful error messages.
+    attr_reader :object_type
+
+    # @param object_type [#to_s] the human-readable singular name of the
+    #   registered objects. It is used to build more useful error messages.
+    def initialize(object_type = 'class')
+      @object_type = object_type.to_s
+      @registry = {}
+    end
+
+    # Retrieve the registered class for a given name. If the argument is already
+    # a class, we return it unchanged.
+    #
+    # @param spec [Class,String,Symbol] Either a class (in which case it is
+    #   returned directly) or the name of a registered class.
+    # @raise [KeyError] when giving a `String` or `Symbol` but no registered
+    #   class was found for it
+    # @raise [TypeError] when giving an invalid object
+    # @return [Class] the registered class (when giving a `String` or `Symbol`)
+    #   or the given class (when giving a `Class`)
+    def [](spec)
+      case spec
+      when Class
+        spec
+      when String, Symbol, ->(s) { s.respond_to?(:to_sym) }
+        @registry.fetch(spec.to_sym) do
+          raise KeyError, "No #{@object_type} was registered for #{spec.inspect}"
+        end
+      else
+        raise TypeError, "#{spec.inspect} can not be used to describe #{@object_type}s"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Register a class for the given name.
+    #
+    # @param name [String, Symbol] the name at which the class should be
+    #   registered
+    # @param registered_class [Class] the class to register at `name`
+    # @raise [TypeError] if `name` is not a `String` or `Symbol`, or if
+    #   `registered_class` is not a `Class`
+    # @return [Class] the `registered_class`
+    def []=(name, registered_class)
+      unless registered_class.is_a?(Class)
+        raise TypeError, 'Can only register class objects'
+      end
+
+      case name
+      when String, Symbol
+        @registry[name.to_sym] = registered_class
+      else
+        raise TypeError, "Can not use #{name.inspect} to register a #{@object_type} class"
+      end
+      registered_class
+    end
+
+    # Remove all registered classes
+    #
+    # @return [self]
+    def clear
+      @registry.clear
+      self
+    end
+
+    # Calls the given block once for each name in `self`, passing the name and
+    # the registered class as parameters.
+    #
+    # An `Enumerator` is returned if no block is given.
+    #
+    # @yield [name, registered_class] calls the given block once for each name
+    # @yieldparam name [Symbol] the name of the registered class
+    # @yieldparam registered_class [Class] the registered class
+    # @return [Enumerator, self] `self` if a block was given or an `Enumerator`
+    #   if no block was given.
+    def each
+      return enum_for(__method__) unless block_given?
+      @registry.each_pair do |name, registered_class|
+        yield name, registered_class
+      end
+      self
+    end
+
+    # Prevents further modifications to `self`. A `RuntimeError` will be raised
+    # if modification is attempted. There is no way to unfreeze a frozen object.
+    #
+    # @return [self]
+    def freeze
+      @registry.freeze
+      super
+    end
+
+    # @return [::Array<Symbol>] a new array populated with all registered names
+    def names
+      @registry.keys
+    end
+
+    # @return [Hash<Symbol=>Class>] a new `Hash` containing all registered
+    #   names and classes
+    def to_h
+      @registry.dup
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/rackstash/class_registry_spec.rb b/spec/rackstash/class_registry_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71943d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/rackstash/class_registry_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+#
+# Copyright 2017 Holger Just
+#
+# This software may be modified and distributed under the terms
+# of the MIT license. See the LICENSE.txt file for details.
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+require 'rackstash/class_registry'
+
+describe Rackstash::ClassRegistry do
+  let(:registry) { described_class.new('value') }
+  let(:klass) { Class.new}
+
+  describe '#initialize' do
+    it 'sets the object_type' do
+      expect(registry.object_type).to eql 'value'
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#[]' do
+    before do
+      registry[:class] = klass
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the class for a String' do
+      expect(registry['class']).to equal klass
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the class for a Symbol' do
+      expect(registry[:class]).to equal klass
+    end
+
+    it 'returns an actual class' do
+      expect(registry[klass]).to equal klass
+      expect(registry[String]).to equal String
+    end
+
+    it 'raises a KeyError on unknown names' do
+      expect { registry[:unknown] }
+        .to raise_error(KeyError, 'No value was registered for :unknown')
+      expect { registry['invalid'] }
+        .to raise_error(KeyError, 'No value was registered for "invalid"')
+    end
+
+    it 'raises a TypeError on invalid names' do
+      expect { registry[0] }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, '0 can not be used to describe values')
+      expect { registry[nil] }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'nil can not be used to describe values')
+      expect { registry[true] }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'true can not be used to describe values')
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '[]=' do
+    it 'registers a class at the given name' do
+      registry[:name] = klass
+      registry[:alias] = klass
+
+      expect(registry[:name]).to equal klass
+      expect(registry[:alias]).to equal klass
+    end
+
+    it 'rejects invalid names' do
+      expect { registry[0] = Class.new }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'Can not use 0 to register a value class')
+      expect { registry[nil] = Class.new }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'Can not use nil to register a value class')
+      expect { registry[String] = Class.new }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'Can not use String to register a value class')
+    end
+
+    it 'rejects invalid values' do
+      expect { registry[:foo] = 123 }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'Can only register class objects')
+      expect { registry[:foo] = -> { :foo } }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'Can only register class objects')
+      expect { registry[:nil] = nil }
+        .to raise_error(TypeError, 'Can only register class objects')
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#clear' do
+    it 'removes all registrations' do
+      registry[:class] = klass
+      expect(registry[:class]).to equal klass
+
+      expect(registry.clear).to equal registry
+      expect { registry[:class] }.to raise_error(KeyError)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#each' do
+    it 'yield each registered pait' do
+      registry['name'] = klass
+      registry[:alias] = klass
+
+      expect { |b| registry.each(&b) }
+        .to yield_successive_args([:name, klass], [:alias, klass])
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the registry if a block was provided' do
+      registry['name'] = klass
+      expect(registry.each {}).to equal registry
+    end
+
+    it 'returns an Enumerator if no block was provided' do
+      registry['name'] = klass
+      expect(registry.each).to be_instance_of Enumerator
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#freeze' do
+    it 'freezes the object' do
+      expect(registry.freeze).to equal registry
+      expect(registry).to be_frozen
+    end
+
+    it 'denies all further changes' do
+      registry.freeze
+      expect { registry[:name] = klass }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#names' do
+    it 'returns all registered names' do
+      registry['name'] = klass
+      registry[:alias] = klass
+
+      expect(registry.names).to eql [:name, :alias]
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#to_h' do
+    it 'returns a Hash containing all registrations' do
+      registry['name'] = klass
+      registry[:alias] = klass
+
+      expect(registry.to_h).to eql(name: klass, alias: klass)
+    end
+
+    it 'returns a copy of the internal data' do
+      registry['name'] = klass
+
+      hash = registry.to_h
+      hash[:alias] = klass
+
+      expect { registry[:alias] }.to raise_error(KeyError)
+    end
+  end
+end