diff --git a/src/csharp/Grpc.Core.Api/LiteClientBase.cs b/src/csharp/Grpc.Core.Api/LiteClientBase.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a978cdf09e0
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+++ b/src/csharp/Grpc.Core.Api/LiteClientBase.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#region Copyright notice and license
+
+// Copyright 2019 The gRPC Authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (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.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+#endregion
+
+using System;
+
+namespace Grpc.Core
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Base class for lightweight client-side stubs.
+    /// All calls are invoked via a <c>CallInvoker</c>.
+    /// Lite client stubs have no configuration knobs, all configuration
+    /// is provided by decorating the call invoker.
+    /// Note: experimental API that can change or be removed without any prior notice.
+    /// </summary>
+    public abstract class LiteClientBase
+    {
+        readonly CallInvoker callInvoker;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes a new instance of <c>LiteClientBase</c> class that
+        /// throws <c>NotImplementedException</c> upon invocation of any RPC.
+        /// This constructor is only provided to allow creation of test doubles
+        /// for client classes (e.g. mocking requires a parameterless constructor).
+        /// </summary>
+        protected LiteClientBase() : this(new UnimplementedCallInvoker())
+        {
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes a new instance of <c>ClientBase</c> class.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="callInvoker">The <c>CallInvoker</c> for remote call invocation.</param>
+        public LiteClientBase(CallInvoker callInvoker)
+        {
+            this.callInvoker = callInvoker;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the call invoker.
+        /// </summary>
+        protected CallInvoker CallInvoker
+        {
+            get { return this.callInvoker; }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Call invoker that throws <c>NotImplementedException</c> for all requests.
+        /// </summary>
+        private class UnimplementedCallInvoker : CallInvoker
+        {
+            public UnimplementedCallInvoker()
+            {
+            }
+
+            public override TResponse BlockingUnaryCall<TRequest, TResponse>(Method<TRequest, TResponse> method, string host, CallOptions options, TRequest request)
+            {
+                throw new NotImplementedException();
+            }
+
+            public override AsyncUnaryCall<TResponse> AsyncUnaryCall<TRequest, TResponse>(Method<TRequest, TResponse> method, string host, CallOptions options, TRequest request)
+            {
+                throw new NotImplementedException();
+            }
+
+            public override AsyncServerStreamingCall<TResponse> AsyncServerStreamingCall<TRequest, TResponse>(Method<TRequest, TResponse> method, string host, CallOptions options, TRequest request)
+            {
+                throw new NotImplementedException();
+            }
+
+            public override AsyncClientStreamingCall<TRequest, TResponse> AsyncClientStreamingCall<TRequest, TResponse>(Method<TRequest, TResponse> method, string host, CallOptions options)
+            {
+                throw new NotImplementedException();
+            }
+
+            public override AsyncDuplexStreamingCall<TRequest, TResponse> AsyncDuplexStreamingCall<TRequest, TResponse>(Method<TRequest, TResponse> method, string host, CallOptions options)
+            {
+                throw new NotImplementedException();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}