diff --git a/boards/native/Makefile.features b/boards/native/Makefile.features
index 4ad14738b855..c33d1a8c48ac 100644
--- a/boards/native/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/native/Makefile.features
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += transceiver periph_cpuid config cpp
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_random
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_rtc
+FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_gpio
diff --git a/cpu/native/include/periph_conf.h b/cpu/native/include/periph_conf.h
index a4655e110bdb..1b4233f9da66 100644
--- a/cpu/native/include/periph_conf.h
+++ b/cpu/native/include/periph_conf.h
@@ -34,6 +34,154 @@
 #define RTC_NUMOF (1)
 /** @} */
 
+#ifdef MODULE_NATIVE_GPIO_VIRTUAL       /* virtual */
+#define GPIO_0_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_1_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_2_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_3_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_4_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_5_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_6_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_7_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_8_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_9_EN   (1)
+#define GPIO_10_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_11_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_12_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_13_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_14_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_15_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_16_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_17_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_18_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_19_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_20_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_21_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_22_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_23_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_24_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_25_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_26_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_27_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_28_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_29_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_30_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_31_EN  (1)
+#define GPIO_NUMOF (32)
+
+#elif defined MODULE_NATIVE_GPIO_SYSFS  /* sysfs */
+
+#ifdef NATIVE_GPIO_NUMOF
+#   if NATIVE_GPIO_NUMOF > 32
+#       define GPIO_NUMOF 32
+#   else
+#       define GPIO_NUMOF NATIVE_GPIO_NUMOF
+#   endif
+#else
+#    define GPIO_NUMOF 0
+#endif
+
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 0
+#   define GPIO_0_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 1
+#   define GPIO_1_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 2
+#   define GPIO_2_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 3
+#   define GPIO_3_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 4
+#   define GPIO_4_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 5
+#   define GPIO_5_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 6
+#   define GPIO_6_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 7
+#   define GPIO_7_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 8
+#   define GPIO_8_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 9
+#   define GPIO_9_EN    (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 10
+#   define GPIO_10_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 11
+#   define GPIO_11_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 12
+#   define GPIO_12_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 13
+#   define GPIO_13_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 14
+#   define GPIO_14_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 15
+#   define GPIO_15_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 16
+#   define GPIO_16_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 17
+#   define GPIO_17_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 18
+#   define GPIO_18_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 19
+#   define GPIO_19_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 20
+#   define GPIO_20_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 21
+#   define GPIO_21_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 22
+#   define GPIO_22_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 23
+#   define GPIO_23_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 24
+#   define GPIO_24_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 25
+#   define GPIO_25_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 26
+#   define GPIO_26_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 27
+#   define GPIO_27_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 28
+#   define GPIO_28_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 29
+#   define GPIO_29_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 30
+#   define GPIO_30_EN   (1)
+#endif
+#if GPIO_NUMOF > 31
+#   define GPIO_31_EN   (1)
+#endif
+
+#else                                   /* no GPIO device */
+#define GPIO_NUMOF (0)
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/Makefile b/cpu/native/periph/Makefile
index 48422e909a47..5453ea9fc058 100644
--- a/cpu/native/periph/Makefile
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/Makefile
@@ -1 +1,7 @@
+ifneq (,$(filter native_gpio_virtual,$(USEMODULE)))
+	DIRS += gpio/virtual
+endif
+ifneq (,$(filter native_gpio_sysfs,$(USEMODULE)))
+	DIRS += gpio/sysfs
+endif
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/gpio/sysfs/Makefile b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/sysfs/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fcc1c5da8ecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/sysfs/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MODULE = native_gpio_sysfs
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
+
+INCLUDES = $(NATIVEINCLUDES)
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/gpio/sysfs/gpio.c b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/sysfs/gpio.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e65f3c6910c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/sysfs/gpio.c
@@ -0,0 +1,323 @@
+/**
+ * Native CPU Linux sysfs GPIO interface driver
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.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 native_cpu
+ * @{
+ * @file
+ * @author Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <err.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+
+#include "native_internal.h"
+
+#include "periph/gpio.h"
+
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
+#include "debug.h"
+
+/********************************************************************************
+ * internal API declaration
+ *******************************************************************************/
+
+#define GPIO_SYSFS_PATH "/sys/class/gpio"
+
+typedef enum {
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_NONE,
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN,
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT,
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_INT,
+} _native_gpio_conf_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+    _native_gpio_conf_t conf;
+    int pin_state;
+    int int_enabled;
+    gpio_pp_t pp;
+    gpio_flank_t flank;
+    gpio_cb_t cb;
+    void *cb_arg;
+} _native_gpio_state_t;
+
+/*
+ * all return >= 0 on success, -1 otherwise
+ */
+static int sysfs_gpio_conf(gpio_t dev, _native_gpio_conf_t conf);
+static int sysfs_gpio_read(gpio_t dev);
+static int sysfs_gpio_write(gpio_t dev, int value);
+
+_native_gpio_state_t gpio_device_state[GPIO_NUMOF];
+
+/********************************************************************************
+ * public API implementation
+ *******************************************************************************/
+
+int gpio_init_out(gpio_t dev, gpio_pp_t pullup)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_conf(dev, _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT);
+    if (ret != 0) {
+        warnx("gpio_init_out(%i)", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pp = pullup;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].conf = _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT;
+    return ret;
+}
+
+int gpio_init_in(gpio_t dev, gpio_pp_t pullup)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_conf(dev, _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN);
+    if (ret != 0) {
+        warnx("gpio_init_in(%i)", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pp = pullup;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].conf = _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN;
+    return ret;
+}
+
+int gpio_init_int(gpio_t dev, gpio_pp_t pullup, gpio_flank_t flank, gpio_cb_t cb, void *arg)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_conf(dev, _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_INT);
+    if (ret != 0) {
+        warnx("gpio_init_int(%i)", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    /* TODO: configure interrupt + pollfds */
+
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pp = pullup;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].flank = flank;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].cb = cb;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].cb_arg = arg;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].conf = _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_INT;
+    gpio_irq_enable(dev);
+    return ret;
+}
+
+void gpio_irq_enable(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    /* TODO: implement */
+    gpio_device_state[dev].int_enabled = 1;
+}
+
+void gpio_irq_disable(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    /* TODO: implement */
+    gpio_device_state[dev].int_enabled = 0;
+}
+
+int gpio_read(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_read(dev);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        warnx("gpio_read(%i): error reading", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = ret;
+
+    return gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state;
+}
+
+void gpio_set(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_write(dev, 1);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        warnx("gpio_set(%i): error writing", dev);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now HIGH\n", dev);
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = 1;
+}
+
+void gpio_clear(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_write(dev, 0);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        warnx("gpio_clear(%i): error writing", dev);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now LOW\n", dev);
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = 0;
+}
+
+void gpio_toggle(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_write(dev, !gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        warnx("gpio_toggle(%i): error writing", dev);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = !gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state;
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now %s\n", dev,
+            (gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state == 0) ? "LOW" : "HIGH");
+}
+
+void gpio_write(gpio_t dev, int value)
+{
+    int ret = sysfs_gpio_write(dev, value);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        warnx("gpio_write(%i): error writing", dev);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = (value == 0) ? 0 : 1;
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now %s\n", dev,
+            (gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state == 0) ? "LOW" : "HIGH");
+}
+
+
+/********************************************************************************
+ * internal API implementation
+ *******************************************************************************/
+
+static int sysfs_gpio_conf(gpio_t dev, _native_gpio_conf_t conf)
+{
+    char gpio_path_name[255];
+
+    int len = snprintf(gpio_path_name, sizeof(gpio_path_name), GPIO_SYSFS_PATH  "/gpio%hi/direction", dev);
+    if (len < 0) {
+        warnx("sysfs_gpio_conf(%i): snprintf: fail", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    _native_syscall_enter();
+    int fd = real_open(gpio_path_name, O_WRONLY);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        warn("sysfs_gpio_conf(%i)", dev);
+        _native_syscall_leave();
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    int ret = 0;
+    switch (conf) {
+        case (_NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN):
+            ret = real_write(fd, "in", 3);
+            if (ret == -1) {
+                warn("sysfs_gpio_conf(%i, _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN)", dev);
+            }
+            else {
+                ret = 0;
+            }
+            break;
+        case (_NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT):
+            ret = real_write(fd, "out", 4);
+            if (ret == -1) {
+                warn("sysfs_gpio_conf(%i, _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT)", dev);
+            }
+            else {
+                ret = 0;
+            }
+            break;
+        default:
+            warnx("sysfs_gpio_conf(%i, %i): configuration mode not implemented", dev, conf);
+            ret = -1;
+            break;
+    }
+    real_close(fd);
+    _native_syscall_leave();
+    return ret;
+}
+
+static int sysfs_gpio_read(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    char gpio_path_name[255];
+
+    int len = snprintf(gpio_path_name, sizeof(gpio_path_name), GPIO_SYSFS_PATH  "/gpio%hi/value", dev);
+    if (len < 0) {
+        warnx("sysfs_gpio_read(%i): snprintf: fail", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    _native_syscall_enter();
+    int fd = real_open(gpio_path_name, O_RDONLY);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        warn("sysfs_gpio_read(%i)", dev);
+        _native_syscall_leave();
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    char val;
+    int ret = real_read(fd, &val, 1);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        warn("sysfs_gpio_read(%i)", dev);
+    }
+    else {
+        switch (val) {
+            case ('0'):
+                ret = 0;
+                break;
+            case ('1'):
+                ret = 1;
+                break;
+            default:
+                warnx("sysfs_gpio_read(%i): internal error", dev);
+                ret = -1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (real_close(fd) == -1) {
+        warn("sysfs_gpio_read");
+    }
+
+    _native_syscall_leave();
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+static int sysfs_gpio_write(gpio_t dev, int value)
+{
+    char gpio_path_name[255];
+
+    int len = snprintf(gpio_path_name, sizeof(gpio_path_name), GPIO_SYSFS_PATH  "/gpio%hi/value", dev);
+    if (len < 0) {
+        warnx("sysfs_gpio_write(%i): snprintf: fail", dev);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    _native_syscall_enter();
+    int fd = real_open(gpio_path_name, O_WRONLY);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        warn("sysfs_gpio_write(%i)", dev);
+        _native_syscall_leave();
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    int ret = real_write(fd, (value == 0) ? "0" : "1", 2);
+    switch (ret) {
+        case -1:
+            warn("sysfs_gpio_write(%i)", dev);
+            break;
+        case 2:
+            ret = 0;
+            break;
+        default:
+            warnx("sysfs_gpio_write(%i): short write", dev);
+            ret = -1;
+            break;
+    }
+
+    if (real_close(fd) == -1) {
+        warn("sysfs_gpio_write");
+    }
+
+    _native_syscall_leave();
+
+    return ret;
+}
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/gpio/virtual/Makefile b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/virtual/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9d9466228b13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/virtual/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+MODULE = native_gpio_virtual
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
+
+INCLUDES = $(NATIVEINCLUDES)
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/gpio/virtual/gpio.c b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/virtual/gpio.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e041a23dfd39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/gpio/virtual/gpio.c
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/**
+ * Native virtual GPIO interface
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.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 native_cpu
+ * @{
+ * @file
+ * @author  Ludwig Ortmann <ludwig.ortmann@fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "periph/gpio.h"
+
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
+#include "debug.h"
+
+typedef enum {
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_NONE,
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN,
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT,
+    _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_INT,
+} _native_gpio_conf_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+    _native_gpio_conf_t conf;
+    int pin_state;
+    int int_enabled;
+    gpio_pp_t pp;
+    gpio_flank_t flank;
+    gpio_cb_t cb;
+    void *cb_arg;
+} _native_gpio_state_t;
+
+_native_gpio_state_t gpio_device_state[GPIO_NUMOF];
+
+int gpio_init_out(gpio_t dev, gpio_pp_t pullup)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pp = pullup;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].conf = _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_OUT;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int gpio_init_in(gpio_t dev, gpio_pp_t pullup)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pp = pullup;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].conf = _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_IN;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int gpio_init_int(gpio_t dev, gpio_pp_t pullup, gpio_flank_t flank, gpio_cb_t cb, void *arg)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pp = pullup;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].flank = flank;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].cb = cb;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].cb_arg = arg;
+    gpio_device_state[dev].conf = _NATIVE_GPIO_CONF_INT;
+    gpio_irq_enable(dev);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void gpio_irq_enable(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].int_enabled = 1;
+}
+
+void gpio_irq_disable(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].int_enabled = 0;
+}
+
+int gpio_read(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    return gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state;
+}
+
+void gpio_set(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now HIGH\n", dev);
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = 1;
+}
+
+void gpio_clear(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now LOW\n", dev);
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = 0;
+}
+
+void gpio_toggle(gpio_t dev)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = !gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state;
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now %s\n", dev,
+            (gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state == 0) ? "LOW" : "HIGH");
+}
+
+void gpio_write(gpio_t dev, int value)
+{
+    gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state = (value == 0) ? 0 : 1;
+    printf("Native GPIO device %i is now %s\n", dev,
+            (gpio_device_state[dev].pin_state == 0) ? "LOW" : "HIGH");
+}
diff --git a/tests/driver_pir/Makefile b/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
index 3e3411af22bb..40ed98985a18 100644
--- a/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
+++ b/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter arduino-due,$(BOARD)))
   export PIR_GPIO ?= GPIO_10
 endif
+ifneq (,$(filter native,$(BOARD)))
+  export PIR_GPIO ?= GPIO_0
+  USEMODULE += native_gpio_virtual
+endif
 
 USEMODULE += pir
 USEMODULE += vtimer
diff --git a/tests/driver_pir/main.c b/tests/driver_pir/main.c
index 0d80931ebfb9..c784805c017c 100644
--- a/tests/driver_pir/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_pir/main.c
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ pir_t dev;
 
 void* pir_handler(void *arg)
 {
+    (void) arg; /* unused */
+
     msg_t msg_q[1];
     msg_init_queue(msg_q, 1);
 
diff --git a/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile b/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile
index 983113639937..c1834aebbd5e 100644
--- a/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile
+++ b/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@ include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
 FEATURES_REQUIRED = periph_gpio
 
+ifneq (,$(filter native,$(BOARD)))
+  USEMODULE += native_gpio_virtual
+  # comment out above and uncomment below to use the sysfs interface instead
+  #CFLAGS += -DNATIVE_GPIO_NUMOF=4
+  #USEMODULE += native_gpio_sysfs
+endif
+
 DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include