diff --git a/redis/redis.go b/redis/redis.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b9ff32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/redis/redis.go
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package redis
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/fzzy/radix/redis"
+
+	datastore "github.com/jbenet/go-datastore"
+	query "github.com/jbenet/go-datastore/query"
+)
+
+var _ datastore.Datastore = &Datastore{}
+var _ datastore.ThreadSafeDatastore = &Datastore{}
+
+var ErrInvalidType = errors.New("redis datastore: invalid type error. this datastore only supports []byte values")
+
+func NewExpiringDatastore(client *redis.Client, ttl time.Duration) (datastore.ThreadSafeDatastore, error) {
+	return &Datastore{
+		client: client,
+		ttl:    ttl,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func NewDatastore(client *redis.Client) (datastore.ThreadSafeDatastore, error) {
+	return &Datastore{
+		client: client,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+type Datastore struct {
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	client *redis.Client
+	ttl    time.Duration
+}
+
+func (ds *Datastore) Put(key datastore.Key, value interface{}) error {
+	ds.mu.Lock()
+	defer ds.mu.Unlock()
+
+	data, ok := value.([]byte)
+	if !ok {
+		return ErrInvalidType
+	}
+
+	ds.client.Append("SET", key.String(), data)
+	if ds.ttl != 0 {
+		ds.client.Append("EXPIRE", key.String(), ds.ttl.Seconds())
+	}
+	if err := ds.client.GetReply().Err; err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to put value: %s", err)
+	}
+	if ds.ttl != 0 {
+		if err := ds.client.GetReply().Err; err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to set expiration: %s", err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (ds *Datastore) Get(key datastore.Key) (value interface{}, err error) {
+	ds.mu.Lock()
+	defer ds.mu.Unlock()
+	return ds.client.Cmd("GET", key.String()).Bytes()
+}
+
+func (ds *Datastore) Has(key datastore.Key) (exists bool, err error) {
+	ds.mu.Lock()
+	defer ds.mu.Unlock()
+	return ds.client.Cmd("EXISTS", key.String()).Bool()
+}
+
+func (ds *Datastore) Delete(key datastore.Key) (err error) {
+	ds.mu.Lock()
+	defer ds.mu.Unlock()
+	return ds.client.Cmd("DEL", key.String()).Err
+}
+
+func (ds *Datastore) Query(q query.Query) (query.Results, error) {
+	return nil, errors.New("TODO implement query for redis datastore?")
+}
+
+func (ds *Datastore) IsThreadSafe() {}
diff --git a/redis/redis_test.go b/redis/redis_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b3e273
--- /dev/null
+++ b/redis/redis_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+package redis
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/fzzy/radix/redis"
+	datastore "github.com/jbenet/go-datastore"
+
+	dstest "github.com/jbenet/go-datastore/test"
+)
+
+const RedisEnv = "REDIS_DATASTORE_TEST_HOST"
+
+func TestPutGetBytes(t *testing.T) {
+	client := clientOrAbort(t)
+	ds, err := NewDatastore(client)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	key, val := datastore.NewKey("foo"), []byte("bar")
+	dstest.Nil(ds.Put(key, val), t)
+	v, err := ds.Get(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if bytes.Compare(v.([]byte), val) != 0 {
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHasBytes(t *testing.T) {
+	client := clientOrAbort(t)
+	ds, err := NewDatastore(client)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	key, val := datastore.NewKey("foo"), []byte("bar")
+	has, err := ds.Has(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if has {
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+
+	dstest.Nil(ds.Put(key, val), t)
+	hasAfterPut, err := ds.Has(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !hasAfterPut {
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
+	client := clientOrAbort(t)
+	ds, err := NewDatastore(client)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	key, val := datastore.NewKey("foo"), []byte("bar")
+	dstest.Nil(ds.Put(key, val), t)
+	dstest.Nil(ds.Delete(key), t)
+
+	hasAfterDelete, err := ds.Has(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if hasAfterDelete {
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExpiry(t *testing.T) {
+	ttl := 1 * time.Second
+	client := clientOrAbort(t)
+	ds, err := NewExpiringDatastore(client, ttl)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	key, val := datastore.NewKey("foo"), []byte("bar")
+	dstest.Nil(ds.Put(key, val), t)
+	time.Sleep(ttl + 1*time.Second)
+	dstest.Nil(ds.Delete(key), t)
+
+	hasAfterExpiration, err := ds.Has(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if hasAfterExpiration {
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+}
+
+func clientOrAbort(t *testing.T) *redis.Client {
+	c, err := redis.Dial("tcp", os.Getenv(RedisEnv))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Log("could not connect to a redis instance")
+		t.SkipNow()
+	}
+	if err := c.Cmd("FLUSHALL").Err; err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return c
+}
diff --git a/test/assert.go b/test/assert.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9cf7e65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/assert.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package dstest
+
+import "testing"
+
+func Nil(err error, t *testing.T, msgs ...string) {
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(msgs, "error:", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func True(v bool, t *testing.T, msgs ...string) {
+	if !v {
+		t.Fatal(msgs)
+	}
+}
+
+func False(v bool, t *testing.T, msgs ...string) {
+	True(!v, t, msgs...)
+}
+
+func Err(err error, t *testing.T, msgs ...string) {
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal(msgs, "error:", err)
+	}
+}