diff --git a/tools/buildgen/plugins/c_api.py b/tools/buildgen/plugins/c_api.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..bb7bf376008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/buildgen/plugins/c_api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python2.7
+
+# Copyright 2016, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+import collections
+import fnmatch
+import os
+import re
+import sys
+import yaml
+
+
+_RE_API = r'(?:GPR_API|GRPC_API|CENSUS_API)([^;]*);'
+
+
+def list_c_apis(filenames):
+  for filename in filenames:
+    with open(filename, 'r') as f:
+      text = f.read()
+    for m in re.finditer(_RE_API, text):
+      api_declaration = re.sub('[ \r\n\t]+', ' ', m.group(1))
+      type_and_name, args_and_close = api_declaration.split('(', 1)
+      args = args_and_close[:args_and_close.rfind(')')].strip()
+      last_space = type_and_name.rfind(' ')
+      last_star = type_and_name.rfind('*')
+      type_end = max(last_space, last_star)
+      return_type = type_and_name[0:type_end+1].strip()
+      name = type_and_name[type_end+1:].strip()
+      yield {'return_type': return_type, 'name': name, 'arguments': args}
+
+def mako_plugin(dictionary):
+  apis = []
+
+  # TODO(ctiller): find grpc library, iterate headers, append apis to dictionary
+
+  dictionary['c_apis'] = apis
+
+
+def headers_under(directory):
+  for root, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(directory):
+    for filename in fnmatch.filter(filenames, '*.h'):
+      yield os.path.join(root, filename)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  apis = [{'name': api.name, 'return_type': api.return_type, 'args': api.arguments}
+          for api in list_c_apis(headers_under('include/grpc'))]
+  print yaml.dump(apis)
+