diff --git a/matrix_sdk/Cargo.toml b/matrix_sdk/Cargo.toml
index ac819118..b72669af 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk/Cargo.toml
+++ b/matrix_sdk/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ encryption = ["matrix-sdk-base/encryption"]
 sqlite-cryptostore = ["matrix-sdk-base/sqlite-cryptostore"]
 
 [dependencies]
+async-trait = "0.1.36"
 http = "0.2.1"
 # FIXME: Revert to regular dependency once 0.10.8 or 0.11.0 is released
 reqwest = { git = "https://github.com/seanmonstar/reqwest", rev = "dd8441fd23dae6ffb79b4cea2862e5bca0c59743" }
diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/http_send.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/http_send.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3ba9fb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/http_send.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+// Copyright 2020 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+use std::fmt::Debug;
+
+use matrix_sdk_common_macros::async_trait;
+use reqwest::Response;
+
+use crate::Result;
+
+/// Abstraction around the http layer. The allows implementors to use different
+/// http libraries.
+#[async_trait]
+pub trait HttpSend: Sync + Send + Debug {
+    /// The method abstracting sending request types and receiving response types.
+    ///
+    /// This is called by the client every time it wants to send anything to a homeserver.
+    ///
+    /// # Arguments
+    ///
+    /// * `request` - The http request that has been converted from a ruma `Request`.
+    ///
+    /// # Returns
+    ///
+    /// A `reqwest::Response` that will be converted to a ruma `Response` in the `Client`.
+    ///
+    /// # Examples
+    ///
+    /// ```ignore
+    /// use matrix_sdk::HttpSend;
+    /// use matrix_sdk_common_macros::async_trait;
+    /// use reqwest::Response;
+    ///
+    /// #[derive(Debug)]
+    /// struct TestSend;
+    ///
+    /// impl HttpSend for TestSend {
+    ///     async fn send_request(&self, request: http::Request<Vec<u8>>) -> Result<Response>
+    ///     // send the request somehow
+    ///     let response = send(request, method, homeserver).await?;
+    ///
+    ///     // reqwest can convert to and from `http::Response` types.
+    ///     Ok(reqwest::Response::from(response))
+    /// }
+    /// }
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    async fn send_request(&self, request: http::Request<Vec<u8>>) -> Result<Response>;
+}
diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs
index 200cbce4..edd20fc1 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ pub use reqwest::header::InvalidHeaderValue;
 mod client;
 mod error;
 mod http_client;
+mod http_send;
 mod request_builder;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "encryption")]
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ mod sas;
 
 pub use client::{Client, ClientConfig, SyncSettings};
 pub use error::{Error, Result};
+pub use http_send::HttpSend;
 pub use request_builder::{
     MessagesRequestBuilder, RegistrationBuilder, RoomBuilder, RoomListFilterBuilder,
 };