diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index c0ba2562..4760cb9f 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2694,8 +2694,10 @@ dependencies = [
  "alloca",
  "cc",
  "secgate-macros",
+ "stable-vec",
  "static_assertions",
  "twizzler-abi",
+ "twizzler-runtime-api",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/src/runtime/secgate/Cargo.toml b/src/runtime/secgate/Cargo.toml
index e59c1d96..13705644 100644
--- a/src/runtime/secgate/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/runtime/secgate/Cargo.toml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ secgate-macros = { path = "secgate-macros" }
 static_assertions = "1.1.0"
 alloca = {version = "0.4", default-features = false}
 twizzler-abi = { path = "../../lib/twizzler-abi", default-features = false }
+twizzler-runtime-api = { path = "../../lib/twizzler-runtime-api" }
+stable-vec = "0.4"
 
 [build-dependencies]
 cc = "1.0"
diff --git a/src/runtime/secgate/src/lib.rs b/src/runtime/secgate/src/lib.rs
index d3aefae0..ac2640af 100644
--- a/src/runtime/secgate/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/secgate/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ use std::{cell::UnsafeCell, marker::Tuple, mem::MaybeUninit};
 pub use secgate_macros::*;
 use twizzler_abi::object::ObjID;
 
+pub mod util;
+
 /// Enum of possible return codes, similar to [Result], but with specific
 /// variants of possible failures of initializing or invoking the secure gate call.
 #[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
diff --git a/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/buffer.rs b/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/buffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a242803f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/buffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+use twizzler_abi::object::{MAX_SIZE, NULLPAGE_SIZE};
+use twizzler_runtime_api::ObjectHandle;
+
+/// A simple buffer to use for transferring bytes between compartments, using shared memory via
+/// objects underneath.
+pub struct SimpleBuffer {
+    handle: ObjectHandle,
+}
+
+impl SimpleBuffer {
+    fn ptr_to_base(&self) -> *const u8 {
+        unsafe { self.handle.start.add(NULLPAGE_SIZE) }
+    }
+
+    fn mut_ptr_to_base(&mut self) -> *mut u8 {
+        unsafe { self.handle.start.add(NULLPAGE_SIZE) }
+    }
+
+    /// Build a new SimpleBuffer from an object handle.
+    pub fn new(handle: ObjectHandle) -> Self {
+        Self { handle }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the maximum length of a read or write.
+    pub fn max_len(&self) -> usize {
+        MAX_SIZE - NULLPAGE_SIZE * 2
+    }
+
+    /// Read bytes from the SimpleBuffer into `buffer`, up to the size of the supplied buffer. The
+    /// actual number of bytes copied is returned.
+    pub fn read(&self, buffer: &mut [u8]) -> usize {
+        let base_raw = self.ptr_to_base();
+        // Note that our len is not bounded by a previous write. But Twizzler objects are
+        // 0-initialized by default, so all bytes are initialized to 0u8. If any other data _was_
+        // written to the object, that still can be read as bytes.
+        let len = core::cmp::min(buffer.len(), self.max_len());
+        // Safety: technically, we cannot statically assert that no one else is writing this memory.
+        // However, since we are reading bytes directly, we will assert that this is safe,
+        // up to seeing torn writes. That is still UB, but it's the best we can do before
+        // having to introduce synchronization overhead, but since this is intended to be
+        // used by secure gates, that synchronization will have occurred via the secure gate call.
+        // While we cannot stop another compartment from violating this assumption, we are still
+        // reading bytes from object memory and not interpreting them. If a consumer of this
+        // interface chooses to cast those bytes into another type, or process them
+        // as UTF-8, or something, it is up to them to uphold safety guarantees (e.g. we cannot
+        // assume it is valid UTF-8).
+        let base = unsafe { core::slice::from_raw_parts(base_raw, len) };
+        (&mut buffer[0..len]).copy_from_slice(base);
+        len
+    }
+
+    /// Write bytes from `buffer` into the SimpleBuffer, up to the size of the supplied buffer. The
+    /// actual number of bytes copied is returned.
+    pub fn write(&mut self, buffer: &[u8]) -> usize {
+        let base_raw = self.mut_ptr_to_base();
+        let len = core::cmp::min(buffer.len(), self.max_len());
+        // Safety: See read function.
+        let base = unsafe { core::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(base_raw, len) };
+        base.copy_from_slice(&buffer[0..len]);
+        len
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use twizzler_abi::syscall::{
+        sys_object_create, BackingType, LifetimeType, ObjectCreate, ObjectCreateFlags,
+    };
+    use twizzler_runtime_api::{get_runtime, MapFlags, ObjectHandle};
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn new_handle() -> ObjectHandle {
+        let id = sys_object_create(
+            ObjectCreate::new(
+                BackingType::Normal,
+                LifetimeType::Volatile,
+                None,
+                ObjectCreateFlags::empty(),
+            ),
+            &[],
+            &[],
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        get_runtime()
+            .map_object(id, MapFlags::READ | MapFlags::WRITE)
+            .unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn transfer() {
+        let obj = new_handle();
+        let mut sb = SimpleBuffer::new(obj);
+
+        let data = b"simple buffer test!";
+        let wlen = sb.write(data);
+        let mut buf = [0u8; 19];
+        assert_eq!(buf.len(), data.len());
+        assert_eq!(buf.len(), wlen);
+
+        let rlen = sb.read(&mut buf);
+        assert_eq!(rlen, wlen);
+        assert_eq!(&buf, data);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/handle.rs b/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/handle.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fd80cdf9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/handle.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+use stable_vec::StableVec;
+use twizzler_runtime_api::ObjID;
+
+/// A handle that can be opened and released.
+pub trait Handle {
+    /// The error type returned by open.
+    type OpenError;
+
+    /// The arguments to open.
+    type OpenInfo;
+
+    /// Open a handle.
+    fn open(info: Self::OpenInfo) -> Result<Self, Self::OpenError>
+    where
+        Self: Sized;
+
+    /// Release a handle. After this, the handle should not be used.
+    fn release(&mut self);
+}
+
+/// A handle descriptor.
+pub type Descriptor = u32;
+
+/// A manager for open handles, per compartment.
+#[derive(Default, Clone)]
+pub struct HandleMgr<ServerData> {
+    handles: HashMap<ObjID, StableVec<ServerData>>,
+    max: usize,
+}
+
+impl<ServerData> HandleMgr<ServerData> {
+    /// Construct a new HandleMgr.
+    pub fn new(max: usize) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            handles: HashMap::new(),
+            max,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Get the maximum number of open handles.
+    pub fn max(&self) -> usize {
+        self.max
+    }
+
+    /// Lookup the server data associated with a descriptor.
+    pub fn lookup(&self, comp: ObjID, ds: Descriptor) -> Option<&ServerData> {
+        let idx: usize = ds.try_into().ok()?;
+        self.handles.get(&comp).and_then(|sv| sv.get(idx))
+    }
+
+    /// Insert new server data, and return a descriptor for it.
+    pub fn insert(&mut self, comp: ObjID, sd: ServerData) -> Option<Descriptor> {
+        let entry = self.handles.entry(comp).or_insert_with(|| StableVec::new());
+        let idx = entry.next_push_index();
+        if idx >= self.max && self.max > 0 {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let ds: Descriptor = idx.try_into().ok()?;
+        let pushed_idx = entry.push(sd);
+        debug_assert_eq!(pushed_idx, idx);
+
+        Some(ds)
+    }
+
+    /// Remove a descriptor, returning the server data if present.
+    pub fn remove(&mut self, comp: ObjID, ds: Descriptor) -> Option<ServerData> {
+        let idx: usize = ds.try_into().ok()?;
+        self.handles.get_mut(&comp)?.remove(idx)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use std::cell::RefCell;
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    struct FooHandle {
+        desc: Descriptor,
+        x: u32,
+        mgr: RefCell<HandleMgr<u32>>,
+        removed_data: Option<u32>,
+    }
+
+    impl Handle for FooHandle {
+        type OpenError = ();
+
+        type OpenInfo = (u32, RefCell<HandleMgr<u32>>);
+
+        fn open(info: Self::OpenInfo) -> Result<Self, Self::OpenError>
+        where
+            Self: Sized,
+        {
+            let desc = info.1.borrow_mut().insert(0.into(), info.0).unwrap();
+            Ok(Self {
+                desc,
+                x: info.0,
+                mgr: info.1,
+                removed_data: None,
+            })
+        }
+
+        fn release(&mut self) {
+            self.removed_data = self.mgr.borrow_mut().remove(0.into(), self.desc);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn handle() {
+        let mgr = RefCell::new(HandleMgr::new(8));
+        let mut foo = FooHandle::open((42, mgr)).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(foo.x, 42);
+        let sd = foo.mgr.borrow().lookup(0.into(), foo.desc).cloned();
+        assert_eq!(sd, Some(42));
+
+        foo.release();
+        assert_eq!(foo.removed_data, Some(42));
+        assert!(foo.mgr.borrow().lookup(0.into(), foo.desc).is_none());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/mod.rs b/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..95d82d24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/runtime/secgate/src/util/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+//! A set of utility types for low-level communication between compartments.
+
+mod buffer;
+mod handle;
+
+pub use buffer::*;
+pub use handle::*;
diff --git a/tools/xtask/src/build.rs b/tools/xtask/src/build.rs
index de3a7aa5..0bb2ea01 100644
--- a/tools/xtask/src/build.rs
+++ b/tools/xtask/src/build.rs
@@ -285,7 +285,6 @@ fn maybe_build_tests<'a>(
                 "twz-rt" => None,
                 "monitor" => None,
                 "bootstrap" => None,
-                "secgate" => None,
                 "secgate-macros" => None,
                 _ => Some(p.name().to_string()),
             })