diff --git a/sys/include/transceiver.h b/sys/include/transceiver.h
index 473058cbc9..80d6e62118 100644
--- a/sys/include/transceiver.h
+++ b/sys/include/transceiver.h
@@ -131,6 +131,13 @@ enum transceiver_msg_type_t {
 
     /* Error messages */
     ENOBUFFER,      ///< No buffer left
+
+    /* reserve message types for higher layer notifications */
+    UPPER_LAYER_1,  ///< reserved
+    UPPER_LAYER_2,  ///< reserved
+    UPPER_LAYER_3,  ///< reserved
+    UPPER_LAYER_4,  ///< reserved
+    UPPER_LAYER_5,  ///< reserved
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/ip.h b/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/ip.h
index 5799ee627a..8e40f6b056 100644
--- a/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/ip.h
+++ b/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/ip.h
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@
  */
 #define IPV6_PROTO_NUM_IPV6_OPTS    (60)
 
+/**
+ * @brief message type for notification
+ *
+ * @see ipv6_register_packet_handler()
+ */
+#define IPV6_PACKET_RECEIVED        (UPPER_LAYER_2)
+
 /**
  * @brief   Get IPv6 send/receive buffer.
  *
diff --git a/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/lowpan.h b/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/lowpan.h
index 2edf02174f..c3db5fb873 100644
--- a/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/lowpan.h
+++ b/sys/net/include/sixlowpan/lowpan.h
@@ -152,6 +152,12 @@
  */
 #define SIXLOWPAN_FRAGN_HDR_LEN    	(5)
 
+/**
+ * @brief message type for notification
+ *
+ * @see sixlowpan_lowpan_register()
+ */
+#define LOWPAN_FRAME_RECEIVED        (UPPER_LAYER_1)
 
 /**
  * @brief   Data type to configure 6LoWPAN IPv6 header compression.
diff --git a/sys/net/sixlowpan/ip.c b/sys/net/sixlowpan/ip.c
index 7203e79e22..f47334fb76 100644
--- a/sys/net/sixlowpan/ip.c
+++ b/sys/net/sixlowpan/ip.c
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ void ipv6_process(void)
             for (i = 0; i < SIXLOWIP_MAX_REGISTERED; i++) {
                 if (sixlowip_reg[i]) {
                     msg_t m_send;
+                    m_send.type = IPV6_PACKET_RECEIVED;
                     m_send.content.ptr = (char *) &ipv6_buf;
                     msg_send(&m_send, sixlowip_reg[i], 1);
                 }
diff --git a/sys/net/sixlowpan/lowpan.c b/sys/net/sixlowpan/lowpan.c
index c5f536d6b1..c90864ef68 100644
--- a/sys/net/sixlowpan/lowpan.c
+++ b/sys/net/sixlowpan/lowpan.c
@@ -742,6 +742,7 @@ void lowpan_read(uint8_t *data, uint8_t length, ieee_802154_long_t *s_laddr,
     for (i = 0; i < SIXLOWPAN_MAX_REGISTERED; i++) {
         if (sixlowpan_reg[i]) {
             msg_t m_send;
+            m_send.type = LOWPAN_FRAME_RECEIVED;;
             current_frame.length = length;
             current_frame.data = data;
             m_send.content.ptr = (char *) &current_frame;