diff --git a/library/Icinga/Authentication/UserGroup/UserGroupBackendInterface.php b/library/Icinga/Authentication/UserGroup/UserGroupBackendInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a567d1f0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/Icinga/Authentication/UserGroup/UserGroupBackendInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+/* Icinga Web 2 | (c) 2013-2015 Icinga Development Team | GPLv2+ */
+
+namespace Icinga\Authentication\UserGroup;
+
+use Icinga\User;
+
+/**
+ * Interface for user group backends
+ */
+interface UserGroupBackendInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * Set this backend's name
+     *
+     * @param   string  $name
+     *
+     * @return  $this
+     */
+    public function setName($name);
+
+    /**
+     * Return this backend's name
+     *
+     * @return  string
+     */
+    public function getName();
+
+    /**
+     * Return the groups the given user is a member of
+     *
+     * @param   User    $user
+     *
+     * @return  array
+     */
+    public function getMemberships(User $user);
+}