diff --git a/src/bitflags_trait.rs b/src/bitflags_trait.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b8facbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bitflags_trait.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+use core as _core;
+
+pub trait BitFlags {
+    type Bits;
+    /// Returns an empty set of flags.
+    fn empty() -> Self;
+    /// Returns the set containing all flags.
+    fn all() -> Self;
+    /// Returns the raw value of the flags currently stored.
+    fn bits(&self) -> Self::Bits;
+    /// Convert from underlying bit representation, unless that
+    /// representation contains bits that do not correspond to a flag.
+    fn from_bits(bits: Self::Bits) -> _core::option::Option<Self>
+    where Self: Sized;
+    /// Convert from underlying bit representation, dropping any bits
+    /// that do not correspond to flags.
+    fn from_bits_truncate(bits: Self::Bits) -> Self;
+    /// Convert from underlying bit representation, preserving all
+    /// bits (even those not corresponding to a defined flag).
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// The caller of the `bitflags!` macro can chose to allow or
+    /// disallow extra bits for their bitflags type.
+    ///
+    /// The caller of `from_bits_unchecked()` has to ensure that
+    /// all bits correspond to a defined flag or that extra bits
+    /// are valid for this bitflags type.
+    unsafe fn from_bits_unchecked(bits: Self::Bits) -> Self;
+    /// Returns `true` if no flags are currently stored.
+    fn is_empty(&self) -> bool;
+    /// Returns `true` if all flags are currently set.
+    fn is_all(&self) -> bool;
+    /// Returns `true` if there are flags common to both `self` and `other`.
+    fn intersects(&self, other: Self) -> bool;
+    /// Returns `true` all of the flags in `other` are contained within `self`.
+    fn contains(&self, other: Self) -> bool;
+    /// Inserts the specified flags in-place.
+    fn insert(&mut self, other: Self);
+    /// Removes the specified flags in-place.
+    fn remove(&mut self, other: Self);
+    /// Toggles the specified flags in-place.
+    fn toggle(&mut self, other: Self);
+    /// Inserts or removes the specified flags depending on the passed value.
+    fn set(&mut self, other: Self, value: bool);
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 935e432f..75108972 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -281,7 +281,12 @@
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub extern crate core as _core;
 
-/// The macro used to generate the flag structures.
+#[doc(inline)]
+pub use bitflags_trait::BitFlags;
+
+mod bitflags_trait;
+
+/// The macro used to generate the flag structure.
 ///
 /// See the [crate level docs](../bitflags/index.html) for complete documentation.
 ///
@@ -820,6 +825,66 @@ macro_rules! __impl_bitflags {
                 result
             }
         }
+
+        impl $crate::BitFlags for $BitFlags {
+            type Bits = $T;
+
+            fn empty() -> Self {
+                $BitFlags::empty()
+            }
+
+            fn all() -> Self {
+                $BitFlags::all()
+            }
+
+            fn bits(&self) -> $T {
+                $BitFlags::bits(self)
+            }
+
+            fn from_bits(bits: $T) -> $crate::_core::option::Option<$BitFlags> {
+                $BitFlags::from_bits(bits)
+            }
+
+            fn from_bits_truncate(bits: $T) -> $BitFlags {
+                $BitFlags::from_bits_truncate(bits)
+            }
+
+            unsafe fn from_bits_unchecked(bits: $T) -> $BitFlags {
+                $BitFlags::from_bits_unchecked(bits)
+            }
+
+            fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+                $BitFlags::is_empty(self)
+            }
+
+            fn is_all(&self) -> bool {
+                $BitFlags::is_all(self)
+            }
+
+            fn intersects(&self, other: $BitFlags) -> bool {
+                $BitFlags::intersects(self, other)
+            }
+
+            fn contains(&self, other: $BitFlags) -> bool {
+                $BitFlags::contains(self, other)
+            }
+
+            fn insert(&mut self, other: $BitFlags) {
+                $BitFlags::insert(self, other)
+            }
+
+            fn remove(&mut self, other: $BitFlags) {
+                $BitFlags::remove(self, other)
+            }
+
+            fn toggle(&mut self, other: $BitFlags) {
+                $BitFlags::toggle(self, other)
+            }
+
+            fn set(&mut self, other: $BitFlags, value: bool) {
+                $BitFlags::set(self, other, value)
+            }
+        }
     };
 
     // Every attribute that the user writes on a const is applied to the