diff --git a/xpcom/ds/nsStaticAtom.h b/xpcom/ds/nsStaticAtom.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6c76d0161e77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xpcom/ds/nsStaticAtom.h
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C++; tab-width: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+/* ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
+ * Version: MPL 1.1/GPL 2.0/LGPL 2.1
+ *
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version
+ * 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
+ * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ * http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/
+ *
+ * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License
+ * for the specific language governing rights and limitations under the
+ * License.
+ *
+ * The Original Code is Static Atom classes.
+ *
+ * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is
+ * Netscape Communications Corp.
+ * Portions created by the Initial Developer are Copyright (C) 2003
+ * the Initial Developer. All Rights Reserved.
+ *
+ * Contributor(s):
+ *   Alec Flett <alecf@netscape.com>
+ *
+ * Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of
+ * either the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later (the "GPL"), or
+ * the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1 or later (the "LGPL"),
+ * in which case the provisions of the GPL or the LGPL are applicable instead
+ * of those above. If you wish to allow use of your version of this file only
+ * under the terms of either the GPL or the LGPL, and not to allow others to
+ * use your version of this file under the terms of the MPL, indicate your
+ * decision by deleting the provisions above and replace them with the notice
+ * and other provisions required by the GPL or the LGPL. If you do not delete
+ * the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of this file under
+ * the terms of any one of the MPL, the GPL or the LGPL.
+ *
+ * ***** END LICENSE BLOCK ***** */
+
+#ifndef nsStaticAtom_h__
+#define nsStaticAtom_h__
+
+#include "nsIAtom.h"
+
+// see http://www.mozilla.org/projects/xpcom/atoms.html to use this stuff
+
+// class for declaring a static list of atoms, for use with gperf
+// Keep this VERY simple
+// mString: the value of the atom - the policy is that this is only
+//          ASCII, in order to avoid unnecessary conversions if
+//          someone asks for this in unicode
+// mAtom:   a convienience pointer - if you want to store the value of
+//          the atom created by this structure somewhere, put its
+//          address here
+struct nsStaticAtom {
+    const char* mString;
+    nsIAtom ** mAtom;
+};
+
+
+// register your lookup function with the atom table. Your function
+// will be called when at atom is not found in the main atom table.
+NS_COM nsresult
+NS_RegisterStaticAtoms(const nsStaticAtom*, PRUint32 aAtomCount);
+
+#endif