diff --git a/src/basic_api.cc b/src/basic_api.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c1f4009
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/basic_api.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#include "basic_api.hh"
+#include <sstream>
+#include <pEp/keymanagement.h>
+
+namespace pEp {
+    namespace PythonAdapter {
+        void _throw_status(PEP_STATUS status)
+        {
+            if (status == PEP_STATUS_OK)
+                return;
+            if (status >= 0x400 && status <= 0x4ff)
+                return;
+ 
+            if (status == PEP_OUT_OF_MEMORY)
+                throw bad_alloc();
+
+            stringstream build;
+            build << "p≡p error: " << status;
+            throw runtime_error(build.str());
+        }
+
+        void update_identity(Identity& ident)
+        {
+            if (ident.me())
+                throw runtime_error("update_identity: not for own identities");
+            if (ident.user_id() == PEP_OWN_USERID)
+                throw runtime_error("update_identity: '" PEP_OWN_USERID
+                        "' may only be used for own identities");
+
+            PEP_STATUS status = update_identity(session, ident);
+            _throw_status(status);
+        }
+
+        void myself(Identity& ident)
+        {
+            ident.me(true);
+            ident.user_id(PEP_OWN_USERID);
+
+            PEP_STATUS status = myself(session, ident);
+            _throw_status(status);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/basic_api.hh b/src/basic_api.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ebae15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/basic_api.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "pEpmodule.hh"
+
+namespace pEp {
+    namespace PythonAdapter {
+        void _throw_status(PEP_STATUS status);
+
+        void update_identity(Identity& ident);
+        void myself(Identity& ident);
+    }
+}
+