diff --git a/lib/include/srslte/common/expected.h b/lib/include/srslte/common/expected.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..09c8ae0e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/include/srslte/common/expected.h
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2013-2020 Software Radio Systems Limited
+ *
+ * This file is part of srsLTE.
+ *
+ * srsLTE is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * srsLTE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * A copy of the GNU Affero General Public License can be found in
+ * the LICENSE file in the top-level directory of this distribution
+ * and at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef SRSLTE_EXPECTED_H
+#define SRSLTE_EXPECTED_H
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace srslte {
+
+enum class error : uint8_t { success, error };
+
+struct default_error_t {
+};
+
+template <typename T, typename E = default_error_t>
+class expected
+{
+public:
+  expected() : has_val(true), val(T{}) {}
+  expected(T&& t) : has_val(true), val(std::forward<T>(t)) {}
+  expected(E&& e) : has_val(false), unexpected(std::forward<E>(e)) {}
+  expected(const expected& other) : has_val(other.has_val)
+  {
+    if (has_val) {
+      construct_val(other.val);
+    } else {
+      construct_error(other.unexpected);
+    }
+  }
+  expected(expected&& other) noexcept : has_val(other.has_val)
+  {
+    if (has_val) {
+      construct_val(std::move(other.val));
+    } else {
+      construct_error(std::move(other.unexpected));
+    }
+  }
+  expected& operator=(const expected& other)
+  {
+    if (this != &other) {
+      expected(other).swap(*this);
+    }
+    return *this;
+  }
+  expected& operator=(expected&& other) noexcept
+  {
+    expected(std::move(other)).swap(*this);
+    return *this;
+  }
+  expected& operator=(const T& other) noexcept
+  {
+    if (not has_value()) {
+      unexpected.~E();
+      has_val = true;
+    }
+    val = other;
+    return *this;
+  }
+  expected& operator=(T&& other) noexcept
+  {
+    if (not has_value()) {
+      unexpected.~E();
+      has_val = true;
+    }
+    val = std::move(other);
+    return *this;
+  }
+  ~expected() { destroy(); }
+
+  void set_error()
+  {
+    if (has_value()) {
+      val.~T();
+      construct_error(E{});
+    } else {
+      unexpected = E{};
+    }
+  }
+  template <typename U>
+  void set_error(U&& other)
+  {
+    if (has_value()) {
+      val.~T();
+      construct_error(std::forward<U>(other));
+    } else {
+      unexpected = std::forward<U>(other);
+    }
+  }
+           operator bool() const { return has_value(); }
+  bool     has_value() const { return has_val; }
+  T*       value() { return has_val ? &val : nullptr; }
+  const T* value() const { return has_val ? &val : nullptr; }
+  E*       error() { return has_val ? nullptr : &unexpected; }
+  const E* error() const { return has_val ? nullptr : &unexpected; }
+
+  void swap(expected& other) noexcept
+  {
+    using std::swap;
+
+    if (has_value() and other.has_value()) {
+      swap(val, other.val);
+    } else if (not has_value() and not other.has_value()) {
+      swap(unexpected, other.unexpected);
+    } else if (has_value() and not other.has_value()) {
+      E err{std::move(other.unexpected)};
+      other.unexpected.~E();
+      other.construct_val(std::move(val));
+      val.~T();
+      construct_error(std::move(err));
+    } else if (!bool(*this) && bool(other)) {
+      other.swap(*this);
+    }
+  }
+
+private:
+  void construct_val(const T& v) noexcept
+  {
+    has_val = true;
+    new (&val) T(v);
+  }
+  void construct_val(T&& v) noexcept
+  {
+    has_val = true;
+    new (&val) T(std::move(v));
+  }
+  void construct_error(const E& e) noexcept
+  {
+    has_val = false;
+    new (&unexpected) E(e);
+  }
+  void construct_error(E&& e) noexcept
+  {
+    has_val = false;
+    new (&unexpected) E(std::move(e));
+  }
+  void destroy()
+  {
+    if (has_value()) {
+      val.~T();
+    } else {
+      unexpected.~E();
+    }
+  }
+
+  bool has_val = false;
+  union {
+    T val;
+    E unexpected;
+  };
+};
+
+} // namespace srslte
+
+#endif // SRSLTE_EXPECTED_H
diff --git a/lib/test/common/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/test/common/CMakeLists.txt
index 61ab20db3..d64e62b54 100644
--- a/lib/test/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/test/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -93,3 +93,7 @@ add_test(fsm_test fsm_test)
 add_executable(choice_type_test choice_type_test.cc)
 target_link_libraries(choice_type_test srslte_common)
 add_test(choice_type_test choice_type_test)
+
+add_executable(expected_test expected_test.cc)
+target_link_libraries(expected_test srslte_common)
+add_test(expected_test expected_test)
diff --git a/lib/test/common/expected_test.cc b/lib/test/common/expected_test.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4747cba93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/test/common/expected_test.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2013-2020 Software Radio Systems Limited
+ *
+ * This file is part of srsLTE.
+ *
+ * srsLTE is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * srsLTE is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * A copy of the GNU Affero General Public License can be found in
+ * the LICENSE file in the top-level directory of this distribution
+ * and at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "srslte/common/expected.h"
+#include "srslte/common/test_common.h"
+
+int test_expected_trivial()
+{
+  srslte::expected<int> exp;
+  TESTASSERT(exp.has_value());
+  TESTASSERT(exp);
+
+  exp = 5;
+  TESTASSERT(exp.has_value());
+  TESTASSERT(*exp.value() == 5);
+  TESTASSERT(exp);
+
+  exp.set_error(srslte::default_error_t{});
+  TESTASSERT(not exp.has_value());
+  TESTASSERT(not exp);
+
+  int i = 2;
+  exp   = i;
+  TESTASSERT(exp);
+  TESTASSERT(*exp.value() == 2);
+
+  exp.set_error();
+  TESTASSERT(not exp);
+
+  exp = 3;
+  {
+    srslte::expected<int> exp2 = exp;
+    TESTASSERT(exp2 and *exp2.value() == 3);
+    srslte::expected<int> exp3;
+    exp3 = exp2;
+    TESTASSERT(exp3 and *exp3.value() == 3);
+  }
+  TESTASSERT(exp and *exp.value() == 3);
+
+  exp.set_error();
+  {
+    srslte::expected<int> exp2{exp};
+    TESTASSERT(not exp2);
+    srslte::expected<int> exp3;
+    exp3 = exp;
+    TESTASSERT(not exp3);
+  }
+
+  return SRSLTE_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+struct C {
+  C() : val(0) { count++; }
+  C(int v) : val(v) { count++; }
+  C(const C& other)
+  {
+    val = other.val;
+    count++;
+  }
+  C(C&& other)
+  {
+    val       = other.val;
+    other.val = 0;
+    count++;
+  }
+  ~C() { count--; }
+  C& operator=(const C& other)
+  {
+    val = other.val;
+    return *this;
+  }
+  C& operator=(C&& other)
+  {
+    val       = other.val;
+    other.val = 0;
+    return *this;
+  }
+  int             val;
+  static uint32_t count;
+};
+uint32_t C::count = 0;
+
+int test_expected_struct()
+{
+  srslte::expected<C, int> exp;
+  exp = C{5};
+  TESTASSERT(exp and exp.value()->val == 5);
+  TESTASSERT(C::count == 1);
+
+  {
+    auto exp2 = exp;
+    TESTASSERT(exp2 and exp2.value()->val == 5);
+    TESTASSERT(C::count == 2);
+  }
+  TESTASSERT(exp and exp.value()->val == 5);
+  TESTASSERT(C::count == 1);
+
+  {
+    auto exp2 = std::move(exp);
+    TESTASSERT(exp2 and exp2.value()->val == 5);
+    TESTASSERT(exp and exp.value()->val == 0);
+  }
+
+  exp.set_error(2);
+  TESTASSERT(not exp and *exp.error() == 2);
+
+  return SRSLTE_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+int test_unique_ptr()
+{
+  srslte::expected<std::unique_ptr<C> > exp;
+  TESTASSERT(exp);
+  exp.value()->reset(new C{2});
+  TESTASSERT(exp.value()->get()->val == 2);
+
+  {
+    auto exp2 = std::move(exp);
+    TESTASSERT(exp.value()->get() == nullptr);
+    TESTASSERT(exp2 and exp2.value()->get()->val == 2);
+  }
+
+  return SRSLTE_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+int main()
+{
+  TESTASSERT(test_expected_trivial() == SRSLTE_SUCCESS);
+  TESTASSERT(test_expected_struct() == SRSLTE_SUCCESS);
+  TESTASSERT(test_unique_ptr() == SRSLTE_SUCCESS);
+}