diff --git a/core/kernel_init.c b/core/kernel_init.c
index 76b2694491..2516f72e11 100644
--- a/core/kernel_init.c
+++ b/core/kernel_init.c
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "irq.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
+#include "periph/pm.h"
+
 #ifdef MODULE_SCHEDSTATISTICS
 #include "sched.h"
 #endif
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ static void *idle_thread(void *arg)
     (void) arg;
 
     while (1) {
+        pm_set_lowest();
     }
 
     return NULL;
diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/pm.h b/drivers/include/periph/pm.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff3f355308
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/pm.h
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 Kaspar Schleiser <kaspar@schleiser.de>
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup    drivers_periph_pm Power Management
+ * @ingroup     drivers_periph
+ * @brief       The kernels power management interface
+ * @{
+ *
+ * The following functions *must* be available for every platform:
+ *
+ * pm_reboot()
+ * pm_off()
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Power management interface
+ *
+ * @author      Kaspar Schleiser <kaspar@schleiser.de>
+ */
+
+#ifndef PM_H_
+#define PM_H_
+
+#include "assert.h"
+#include "periph_cpu.h"
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+ extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Reboot MCU
+ */
+void pm_reboot(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Turn off MCU completely
+ */
+void pm_off(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Switches the MCU to the lowest possible power mode
+ *
+ * This function will be called by the idle thread.
+ */
+void pm_set_lowest(void);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* __PM_H_ */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/drivers/periph_common/pm.c b/drivers/periph_common/pm.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..afd31b741e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/periph_common/pm.c
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 Kaspar Schleiser <kaspar@schleiser.de>
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @ingroup     drivers_periph_pm
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Platform-independent power management fallback code
+ *
+ * @author      Kaspar Schleiser <kaspar@schleiser.de>
+ *
+ * @}
+ */
+
+#include "irq.h"
+#include "periph/pm.h"
+
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
+#include "debug.h"
+
+void __attribute__((weak)) pm_set_lowest(void) {}
+
+void __attribute__((weak)) pm_off(void)
+{
+    irq_disable();
+    while(1) {};
+}