diff --git a/dfhack/python/dfhack_api_ctypes.py b/dfhack/python/dfhack_api_ctypes.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d9f460ba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dfhack/python/dfhack_api_ctypes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+from ctypes import *
+
+int_ptr = POINTER(c_int)
+uint_ptr = POINTER(c_uint)
+
+libdfhack = cdll.libdfhack
+libdfhack.API_Alloc.restype = c_void_p
+libdfhack.API_Free.argtypes = [ c_void_p ]
+
+class API(object):
+    def __init__(self, memory_path):
+        self._api_ptr = libdfhack.API_Alloc(create_string_buffer(memory_path))
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        libdfhack.API_Free(self._api_ptr)
+
+    def Attach(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_Attach(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    def Detach(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_Detach(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    def Suspend(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_Suspend(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    def Resume(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_Resume(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    def Force_Resume(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_ForceResume(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    def Async_Suspend(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_AsyncSuspend(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    @property
+    def is_attached(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_isAttached(self._api_ptr) > 0
+
+    @property
+    def is_suspended(self):
+        return libdfhack.API_isSuspended(self._api_ptr) > 0