diff --git a/.coveragerc b/.coveragerc
index 6a18f761d2c4..dd1524307f5c 100644
--- a/.coveragerc
+++ b/.coveragerc
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ omit =
     */_generated/*.py
     # Packages in the "google.cloud" package that we don't own.
     */google/cloud/gapic/*
-fail_under = 100
-show_missing = True
 exclude_lines =
     # Re-enable the standard pragma
     pragma: NO COVER
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index b222923baf11..4e5346d52e8b 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ install:
 
 script:
   - tox -e py27
+  - (cd core && tox -e py27)
   - tox -e py34
+  - (cd core && tox -e py34)
   - tox -e lint
   - tox -e cover
+  - (cd core && tox -e cover)
   - tox -e system-tests
   - tox -e system-tests3
   - scripts/update_docs.sh
diff --git a/core/.coveragerc b/core/.coveragerc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e72bb1216f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/.coveragerc
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[run]
+branch = True
+
+[report]
+omit =
+    */google/cloud/_testing.py
+fail_under = 100
+show_missing = True
+exclude_lines =
+    # Re-enable the standard pragma
+    pragma: NO COVER
+    # Ignore debug-only repr
+    def __repr__
diff --git a/core/MANIFEST.in b/core/MANIFEST.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cb3a2b9ef4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/MANIFEST.in
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+include README.rst
+graft google
+graft unit_tests
+global-exclude *.pyc
diff --git a/core/README.rst b/core/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d8ec01b781be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+Core Helpers for Google Cloud Python Client Library
+===================================================
+
+This library is not meant to stand-alone. Instead it defines
+common helpers (e.g. base ``Client`` and ``Connection`` classes)
+used by all of the ``google-cloud-*``.
+
+
+-  `Homepage`_
+-  `API Documentation`_
+
+.. _Homepage: https://googlecloudplatform.github.io/google-cloud-python/
+.. _API Documentation: http://googlecloudplatform.github.io/google-cloud-python/
+
+Quick Start
+-----------
+
+::
+
+    $ pip install --upgrade google-cloud-core
diff --git a/core/google/__init__.py b/core/google/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b2b833373882
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/google/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Copyright 2016 Google Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+try:
+    import pkg_resources
+    pkg_resources.declare_namespace(__name__)
+except ImportError:
+    import pkgutil
+    __path__ = pkgutil.extend_path(__path__, __name__)
diff --git a/core/google/cloud/__init__.py b/core/google/cloud/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8ac7b74af136
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/google/cloud/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Copyright 2014 Google Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+try:
+    import pkg_resources
+    pkg_resources.declare_namespace(__name__)
+except ImportError:
+    import pkgutil
+    __path__ = pkgutil.extend_path(__path__, __name__)
diff --git a/google/cloud/_helpers.py b/core/google/cloud/_helpers.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/_helpers.py
rename to core/google/cloud/_helpers.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/_testing.py b/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/_testing.py
rename to core/google/cloud/_testing.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/client.py b/core/google/cloud/client.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/client.py
rename to core/google/cloud/client.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/connection.py b/core/google/cloud/connection.py
similarity index 99%
rename from google/cloud/connection.py
rename to core/google/cloud/connection.py
index c5ed3a627e99..e5893a34630e 100644
--- a/google/cloud/connection.py
+++ b/core/google/cloud/connection.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 """The base of the API call URL."""
 
 DEFAULT_USER_AGENT = 'gcloud-python/{0}'.format(
-    get_distribution('google-cloud').version)
+    get_distribution('google-cloud-core').version)
 """The user agent for google-cloud-python requests."""
 
 
diff --git a/google/cloud/credentials.py b/core/google/cloud/credentials.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/credentials.py
rename to core/google/cloud/credentials.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/environment_vars.py b/core/google/cloud/environment_vars.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/environment_vars.py
rename to core/google/cloud/environment_vars.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/exceptions.py b/core/google/cloud/exceptions.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/exceptions.py
rename to core/google/cloud/exceptions.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/iterator.py b/core/google/cloud/iterator.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/iterator.py
rename to core/google/cloud/iterator.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/operation.py b/core/google/cloud/operation.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/operation.py
rename to core/google/cloud/operation.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/__init__.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/__init__.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/__init__.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/buffered_stream.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/buffered_stream.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/buffered_stream.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/buffered_stream.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/exceptions.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/exceptions.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/exceptions.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/exceptions.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/http_wrapper.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/http_wrapper.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/http_wrapper.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/http_wrapper.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/stream_slice.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/stream_slice.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/stream_slice.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/stream_slice.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/transfer.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/transfer.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/transfer.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/transfer.py
diff --git a/google/cloud/streaming/util.py b/core/google/cloud/streaming/util.py
similarity index 100%
rename from google/cloud/streaming/util.py
rename to core/google/cloud/streaming/util.py
diff --git a/core/setup.py b/core/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..97b695e1a71e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Copyright 2016 Google Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+import os
+
+from setuptools import find_packages
+from setuptools import setup
+
+
+PACKAGE_ROOT = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+
+with open(os.path.join(PACKAGE_ROOT, 'README.rst')) as file_obj:
+    README = file_obj.read()
+
+# NOTE: This is duplicated throughout and we should try to
+#       consolidate.
+SETUP_BASE = {
+    'author': 'Google Cloud Platform',
+    'author_email': 'jjg+google-cloud-python@google.com',
+    'scripts': [],
+    'url': 'https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/google-cloud-python',
+    'license': 'Apache 2.0',
+    'platforms': 'Posix; MacOS X; Windows',
+    'include_package_data': True,
+    'zip_safe': False,
+    'classifiers': [
+        'Development Status :: 4 - Beta',
+        'Intended Audience :: Developers',
+        'License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License',
+        'Operating System :: OS Independent',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 2',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5',
+        'Topic :: Internet',
+    ],
+}
+
+
+REQUIREMENTS = [
+    'httplib2 >= 0.9.1',
+    'googleapis-common-protos',
+    'oauth2client >= 2.0.1, < 3.0.0dev',
+    'protobuf >= 3.0.0',
+    'six',
+]
+
+setup(
+    name='google-cloud-core',
+    version='0.20.0dev',
+    description='API Client library for Google Cloud: Core Helpers',
+    long_description=README,
+    namespace_packages=[
+        'google',
+        'google.cloud',
+    ],
+    packages=find_packages(),
+    install_requires=REQUIREMENTS,
+    **SETUP_BASE
+)
diff --git a/core/tox.ini b/core/tox.ini
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..182562b6a42f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tox.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+[tox]
+envlist =
+    py27,py34,py35,cover
+
+[testing]
+deps =
+    pytest
+covercmd =
+    py.test --quiet \
+      --cov=google.cloud \
+      --cov=unit_tests \
+      --cov-config {toxinidir}/.coveragerc \
+      unit_tests
+
+[testenv]
+commands =
+    py.test --quiet {posargs} unit_tests
+deps =
+    {[testing]deps}
+
+[testenv:cover]
+basepython =
+    python2.7
+commands =
+    {[testing]covercmd}
+deps =
+    {[testenv]deps}
+    coverage
+    pytest-cov
diff --git a/core/unit_tests/__init__.py b/core/unit_tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..58e0d9153632
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/unit_tests/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Copyright 2016 Google Inc.
+#
+# 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.
diff --git a/core/unit_tests/streaming/__init__.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..58e0d9153632
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/unit_tests/streaming/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Copyright 2016 Google Inc.
+#
+# 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.
diff --git a/unit_tests/streaming/test_buffered_stream.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_buffered_stream.py
similarity index 89%
rename from unit_tests/streaming/test_buffered_stream.py
rename to core/unit_tests/streaming/test_buffered_stream.py
index 3304e2bd3cc0..b6f4066b11c2 100644
--- a/unit_tests/streaming/test_buffered_stream.py
+++ b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_buffered_stream.py
@@ -24,6 +24,20 @@ def _getTargetClass(self):
     def _makeOne(self, *args, **kw):
         return self._getTargetClass()(*args, **kw)
 
+    def test_ctor_closed_stream(self):
+        class _Stream(object):
+            closed = True
+
+        start = 0
+        bufsize = 4
+        bufstream = self._makeOne(_Stream, start, bufsize)
+        self.assertIs(bufstream._stream, _Stream)
+        self.assertEqual(bufstream._start_pos, start)
+        self.assertEqual(bufstream._buffer_pos, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(bufstream._buffered_data, b'')
+        self.assertTrue(bufstream._stream_at_end)
+        self.assertEqual(bufstream._end_pos, 0)
+
     def test_ctor_start_zero_longer_than_buffer(self):
         from io import BytesIO
         CONTENT = b'CONTENT GOES HERE'
diff --git a/unit_tests/streaming/test_exceptions.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_exceptions.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/streaming/test_exceptions.py
rename to core/unit_tests/streaming/test_exceptions.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/streaming/test_http_wrapper.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_http_wrapper.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/streaming/test_http_wrapper.py
rename to core/unit_tests/streaming/test_http_wrapper.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/streaming/test_stream_slice.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_stream_slice.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/streaming/test_stream_slice.py
rename to core/unit_tests/streaming/test_stream_slice.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/streaming/test_transfer.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_transfer.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/streaming/test_transfer.py
rename to core/unit_tests/streaming/test_transfer.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/streaming/test_util.py b/core/unit_tests/streaming/test_util.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/streaming/test_util.py
rename to core/unit_tests/streaming/test_util.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/test__helpers.py b/core/unit_tests/test__helpers.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/test__helpers.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test__helpers.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_client.py b/core/unit_tests/test_client.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/test_client.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test_client.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_connection.py b/core/unit_tests/test_connection.py
similarity index 88%
rename from unit_tests/test_connection.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test_connection.py
index fb4ab1f8564c..af3802b21a9f 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/core/unit_tests/test_connection.py
@@ -70,10 +70,41 @@ def test_http_w_creds(self):
     def test_user_agent_format(self):
         from pkg_resources import get_distribution
         expected_ua = 'gcloud-python/{0}'.format(
-            get_distribution('google-cloud').version)
+            get_distribution('google-cloud-core').version)
         conn = self._makeOne()
         self.assertEqual(conn.USER_AGENT, expected_ua)
 
+    def test__create_scoped_credentials_with_scoped_credentials(self):
+        klass = self._getTargetClass()
+        scoped_creds = object()
+        scope = 'google-specific-scope'
+        credentials = _Credentials(scoped=scoped_creds)
+
+        result = klass._create_scoped_credentials(credentials, scope)
+        self.assertIs(result, scoped_creds)
+        self.assertEqual(credentials._create_scoped_calls, 1)
+        self.assertEqual(credentials._scopes, [scope])
+
+    def test__create_scoped_credentials_without_scope_required(self):
+        klass = self._getTargetClass()
+        credentials = _Credentials()
+
+        result = klass._create_scoped_credentials(credentials, None)
+        self.assertIs(result, credentials)
+        self.assertEqual(credentials._create_scoped_calls, 1)
+        self.assertEqual(credentials._scopes, [])
+
+    def test__create_scoped_credentials_non_scoped_credentials(self):
+        klass = self._getTargetClass()
+        credentials = object()
+        result = klass._create_scoped_credentials(credentials, None)
+        self.assertIs(result, credentials)
+
+    def test__create_scoped_credentials_no_credentials(self):
+        klass = self._getTargetClass()
+        result = klass._create_scoped_credentials(None, None)
+        self.assertIsNone(result)
+
 
 class TestJSONConnection(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -375,11 +406,12 @@ def request(self, **kw):
 
 class _Credentials(object):
 
-    _scopes = None
-
-    def __init__(self, authorized=None):
+    def __init__(self, authorized=None, scoped=None):
         self._authorized = authorized
+        self._scoped = scoped
+        self._scoped_required = scoped is not None
         self._create_scoped_calls = 0
+        self._scopes = []
 
     def authorize(self, http):
         self._called_with = http
@@ -387,4 +419,8 @@ def authorize(self, http):
 
     def create_scoped_required(self):
         self._create_scoped_calls += 1
-        return False
+        return self._scoped_required
+
+    def create_scoped(self, scope):
+        self._scopes.append(scope)
+        return self._scoped
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_credentials.py b/core/unit_tests/test_credentials.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/test_credentials.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test_credentials.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_exceptions.py b/core/unit_tests/test_exceptions.py
similarity index 92%
rename from unit_tests/test_exceptions.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test_exceptions.py
index 56d8581be036..8460d6d8f1c4 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_exceptions.py
+++ b/core/unit_tests/test_exceptions.py
@@ -125,6 +125,17 @@ def test_html_when_json_expected(self):
         self.assertEqual(exception.message, content)
         self.assertEqual(list(exception.errors), [])
 
+    def test_without_use_json(self):
+        from google.cloud.exceptions import TooManyRequests
+
+        content = u'error-content'
+        response = _Response(TooManyRequests.code)
+        exception = self._callFUT(response, content, use_json=False)
+
+        self.assertIsInstance(exception, TooManyRequests)
+        self.assertEqual(exception.message, content)
+        self.assertEqual(list(exception.errors), [])
+
 
 class _Response(object):
     def __init__(self, status):
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_iterator.py b/core/unit_tests/test_iterator.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/test_iterator.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test_iterator.py
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_operation.py b/core/unit_tests/test_operation.py
similarity index 100%
rename from unit_tests/test_operation.py
rename to core/unit_tests/test_operation.py
diff --git a/scripts/verify_included_modules.py b/scripts/verify_included_modules.py
index 0f16e47265c2..264d7876c9cc 100644
--- a/scripts/verify_included_modules.py
+++ b/scripts/verify_included_modules.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 ])
 PACKAGES = (
     '',
+    'core',
 )
 
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d1eabf4faa43..5662b02e3b02 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -50,11 +50,7 @@
 
 
 REQUIREMENTS = [
-    'httplib2 >= 0.9.1',
-    'googleapis-common-protos',
-    'oauth2client >= 2.0.1',
-    'protobuf >= 3.0.0',
-    'six',
+    'google-cloud-core',
 ]
 
 GRPC_PACKAGES = [
@@ -72,7 +68,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name='google-cloud',
-    version='0.19.0',
+    version='0.20.0dev',
     description='API Client library for Google Cloud',
     long_description=README,
     namespace_packages=[
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index d0cc47ded48d..1e2eba979c5f 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ envlist =
 
 [testing]
 deps =
+    {toxinidir}/core
     pytest
 covercmd =
     py.test --quiet \
@@ -11,6 +12,13 @@ covercmd =
       --cov=unit_tests \
       --cov-config {toxinidir}/.coveragerc \
       unit_tests
+    py.test --quiet \
+      --cov=google.cloud \
+      --cov=unit_tests \
+      --cov-append \
+      --cov-config {toxinidir}/.coveragerc \
+      core/unit_tests
+    coverage report --show-missing --fail-under=100
 
 [testenv]
 commands =