diff --git a/drivers/Makefile b/drivers/Makefile
index fbe4236691..51d10128b5 100644
--- a/drivers/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/Makefile
@@ -37,5 +37,8 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter servo,$(USEMODULE)))
     DIRS += servo
 endif
+ifneq (,$(filter pir,$(USEMODULE)))
+    DIRS += pir
+endif
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/drivers/include/pir.h b/drivers/include/pir.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a08b56817e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/include/pir.h
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Freie Universität Berlin
+ *
+ * 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    driver_pir PIR Motion Sensor
+ * @ingroup     drivers
+ * @brief       Device driver interface for the PIR motion sensor
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Device driver interface for the PIR motion sensor
+ *
+ * @author      Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __PIR_H
+#define __PIR_H
+
+#include "kernel_types.h"
+#include "periph/gpio.h"
+
+/**
+ * @brief device descriptor for a PIR sensor
+ */
+typedef struct {
+    gpio_t          gpio_dev;       /**< GPIO device which is used */
+    kernel_pid_t    msg_thread_pid; /**< thread to msg on irq */
+} pir_t;
+
+#ifndef PIR_MSG_T_STATUS_START
+#define PIR_MSG_T_STATUS_START 150
+#endif
+
+typedef enum {
+    PIR_STATUS_HI = PIR_MSG_T_STATUS_START,     /**< motion was detected */
+    PIR_STATUS_LO,                              /**< no motion is detected */
+} pir_event_t;
+
+/**
+ * @brief               Initialize a PIR motion sensor
+ *
+ * The PIR motion sensor is interfaced by a single GPIO pin, specified by
+ * `gpio`.
+ *
+ * @note
+ * The sensor needs up to a minute to settle down before meaningful
+ * measurements can be made.
+ *
+ * @param[out] dev      device descriptor of an PIR sensor
+ * @param[in] gpio      the GPIO device the sensor is connected to
+ *
+ * @return              0 on success
+ * @return              -1 on error
+ */
+int pir_init(pir_t *dev, gpio_t gpio);
+
+/**
+ * @brief               Read the current status of the motion sensor
+ *
+ * @param[in] dev       device descriptor of the PIR motion sensor to read from
+ *
+ * @return              1 if motion is detected, 0 otherwise
+ */
+pir_event_t pir_get_status(pir_t *dev);
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Register a thread for notification whan state changes on the
+ *          motion sensor.
+ *
+ * @note
+ * This configures the gpio device for interrupt driven operation.
+ *
+ * @param[in] dev       device descriptor of the PIR motion sensor to
+ *                      register for
+ *
+ * @return              0 on succuess,
+ * @return              -1 on internal errors,
+ * @return              -2 if another thread is registered already
+ */
+int pir_register_thread(pir_t *dev);
+
+#endif /* __PIR_H */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/drivers/pir/Makefile b/drivers/pir/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2984a2c6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/pir/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+MODULE = pir
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/drivers/pir/pir.c b/drivers/pir/pir.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2a802b20c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/pir/pir.c
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Freie Universität Berlin
+ *
+ * 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     driver_pir
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Device driver implementation for the PIR motion sensor
+ *
+ * @author      Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.de>
+ *
+ * @}
+ */
+
+#include "pir.h"
+#include "thread.h"
+#include "msg.h"
+
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
+#include "debug.h"
+
+/**********************************************************************
+ * internal API declaration
+ **********************************************************************/
+
+static int pir_activate_int(pir_t *dev);
+static void pir_callback(void *dev);
+static void pir_send_msg(pir_t *dev, pir_event_t event);
+
+/**********************************************************************
+ * public API implementation
+ **********************************************************************/
+
+int pir_init(pir_t *dev, gpio_t gpio)
+{
+    dev->gpio_dev = gpio;
+    dev->msg_thread_pid = KERNEL_PID_UNDEF;
+    return gpio_init_in(dev->gpio_dev, GPIO_NOPULL);
+}
+
+pir_event_t pir_get_status(pir_t *dev)
+{
+    return ((gpio_read(dev->gpio_dev) == 0) ? PIR_STATUS_LO : PIR_STATUS_HI);
+}
+
+int pir_register_thread(pir_t *dev)
+{
+    if (dev->msg_thread_pid != KERNEL_PID_UNDEF) {
+        if (dev->msg_thread_pid != thread_getpid()) {
+            DEBUG("pir_register_thread: already registered to another thread\n");
+            return -2;
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        DEBUG("pir_register_thread: activating interrupt for %p..\n", dev);
+        if (pir_activate_int(dev) != 0) {
+            DEBUG("\tfailed\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
+        DEBUG("\tsuccess\n");
+    }
+    dev->msg_thread_pid = thread_getpid();
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+/**********************************************************************
+ * internal API implementation
+ **********************************************************************/
+
+static void pir_send_msg(pir_t *dev, pir_event_t event)
+{
+    DEBUG("pir_send_msg\n");
+    msg_t m = { .type = event, .content.ptr = (char*) dev, };
+
+    int ret = msg_send_int(&m, dev->msg_thread_pid);
+    DEBUG("pir_send_msg: msg_send_int: %i\n", ret);
+    switch (ret) {
+        case 0:
+            DEBUG("pir_send_msg: msg_thread_pid not receptive, event is lost");
+            break;
+        case 1:
+            DEBUG("pir_send_msg: OK");
+            break;
+        case -1:
+            DEBUG("pir_send_msg: msg_thread_pid is gone, clearing it");
+            dev->msg_thread_pid = KERNEL_PID_UNDEF;
+            break;
+    }
+}
+
+static void pir_callback(void *arg)
+{
+    DEBUG("pir_callback: %p\n", arg);
+    pir_t *dev = (pir_t*) arg;
+    if (dev->msg_thread_pid != KERNEL_PID_UNDEF) {
+        pir_send_msg(dev, pir_get_status(dev));
+    }
+}
+
+static int pir_activate_int(pir_t *dev)
+{
+    return gpio_init_int(dev->gpio_dev, GPIO_NOPULL, GPIO_BOTH, pir_callback, dev);
+}
diff --git a/tests/driver_pir/Makefile b/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8fd60f5994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+APPLICATION = driver_pir
+include ../Makefile.tests_common
+
+# These boards do not suport periph/gpio.h at the time of this writing:
+BOARD_BLACKLIST = native arduino-mega2560 avsextrem chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h msba2 pttu qemu-i386 redbee-econotag telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
+
+# Define default pin mappings for some boards:
+BOARD_WHITELIST = stm32f4discovery arduino-due
+ifneq (,$(filter stm32f4discovery,$(BOARD)))
+  export PIR_GPIO ?= GPIO_8
+endif
+ifneq (,$(filter arduino-due,$(BOARD)))
+  export PIR_GPIO ?= GPIO_10
+endif
+
+USEMODULE += pir
+USEMODULE += vtimer
+
+ifneq (,$(PIR_GPIO))
+  CFLAGS += -DPIR_GPIO=$(PIR_GPIO)
+endif
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
+
+all-polling: CFLAGS += -DTEST_PIR_POLLING
+
+all-polling: all
+
+all-interrupt: all
diff --git a/tests/driver_pir/README.md b/tests/driver_pir/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..108a479c59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/driver_pir/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# About
+This is a manual test application for the PIR motion sensor driver.
+
+In order to build this application, you need to add the board to the
+Makefile's `WHITELIST` first and define a pin mapping (see below).
+
+
+# Usage
+There are two ways to test this. You can either actively poll the sensor
+state, or you can register a thread which receives messages for state
+changes.
+
+## Interrupt driven
+Connect the sensor's "out" pin to a GPIO of your board that can be
+configured to create interrupts.
+Compile and flash this test application like:
+
+    export BOARD=your_board
+    export PIR_GPIO=name_of_your_pin
+    make clean
+    make all-interrupt
+    make flash
+
+The output should look like:
+
+    kernel_init(): jumping into first task...
+
+    PIR motion sensor test application
+
+    Initializing PIR sensor at GPIO_8... [OK]
+
+    Registering PIR handler thread...     [OK]
+    PIR handler got a message: the movement has ceased.
+    PIR handler got a message: something started moving.
+    PIR handler got a message: the movement has ceased.
+
+
+## Polling Mode
+Connect the sensor's "out" pin to any GPIO pin of you board.
+Compile and flash this test application like:
+
+    export BOARD=your_board
+    export PIR_GPIO=name_of_your_pin
+    make clean
+    make all-polling
+    make flash
+
+The output should look like this:
+
+    kernel_init(): jumping into first task...
+    PIR motion sensor test application
+
+    Initializing PIR sensor at GPIO_10... [OK]
+
+    Printing sensor state every second.
+    Status: lo
+    ...
+    Status: lo
+    Status: hi
+    ...
diff --git a/tests/driver_pir/main.c b/tests/driver_pir/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0d80931ebf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/driver_pir/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Freie Universität Berlin
+ *
+ * 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 tests
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Test application for the PIR motion sensor driver
+ *
+ * @author      Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.de>
+ *
+ * @}
+ */
+
+#ifndef PIR_GPIO
+#error "PIR_GPIO not defined"
+#endif
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "thread.h"
+#include "vtimer.h"
+#include "pir.h"
+
+char pir_handler_stack[KERNEL_CONF_STACKSIZE_MAIN];
+pir_t dev;
+
+void* pir_handler(void *arg)
+{
+    msg_t msg_q[1];
+    msg_init_queue(msg_q, 1);
+
+    printf("Registering PIR handler thread...     %s\n",
+           pir_register_thread(&dev) == 0 ? "[OK]" : "[Failed]");
+
+    msg_t m;
+    while (msg_receive(&m)) {
+        printf("PIR handler got a message: ");
+        switch (m.type) {
+            case PIR_STATUS_HI:
+                puts("something started moving.");
+                break;
+            case PIR_STATUS_LO:
+                puts("the movement has ceased.");
+                break;
+            default:
+                puts("stray message.");
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+    puts("PIR handler: this should not have happened!");
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+int main(void)
+{
+    puts("PIR motion sensor test application\n");
+    printf("Initializing PIR sensor at GPIO_%i... ", PIR_GPIO);
+    if (pir_init(&dev, PIR_GPIO) == 0) {
+        puts("[OK]\n");
+    }
+    else {
+        puts("[Failed]");
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+#if TEST_PIR_POLLING
+    puts("Printing sensor state every second.");
+    while (1) {
+        printf("Status: %s\n", pir_get_status(&dev) == PIR_STATUS_LO ? "lo" : "hi");
+        vtimer_usleep(1000 * 1000);
+    }
+#else
+   thread_create(
+           pir_handler_stack, sizeof(pir_handler_stack), PRIORITY_MAIN - 1,
+           CREATE_WOUT_YIELD | CREATE_STACKTEST,
+           pir_handler, NULL, "pir_handler");
+#endif
+    return 0;
+}