diff --git a/titles/diva/handlers/base.py b/titles/diva/handlers/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff9eff5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/titles/diva/handlers/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+from urllib import parse
+
+class DivaRequestParseException(Exception):
+    """
+    Exception raised when there is a fault in parsing a diva request,
+    either due to a malformed request, or missing required items
+    """
+    def __init__(self, message: str) -> None:
+        self.message = message
+        super().__init__(self.message)
+
+class BaseRequest:
+    def __init__(self, raw: str) -> None:
+        self.raw = dict(parse.parse_qsl(raw))
+        
+        if 'cmd' not in self.raw:
+            raise DivaRequestParseException(f"cmd not in request data {self.raw}")
+        self.cmd = raw['cmd']
+
+        if 'req_id' not in self.raw:
+            raise DivaRequestParseException(f"req_id not in request data {self.raw}")
+        self.req_id = raw['req_id']
+
+class BaseResponse:
+    def __init__(self, cmd_id: str, req_id: int) -> None:
+        self.cmd = cmd_id
+        self.req_id = req_id
+        self.stat = "ok"
+
+    def make(self) -> str:
+        all_vars = vars(self)
+        all_vars.pop('cmd')
+        all_vars.pop('req_id')
+
+        ret = f"cmd={self.cmd}&req_id={self.req_id}"
+        ret += parse.urlencode(all_vars, doseq=True, quote_via=parse.quote)
+
+        return ret