diff --git a/proto/features_pb2.py b/proto/features_pb2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2e4d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proto/features_pb2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# Copyright 2016 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
+# Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+# license that can be found in the LICENSE file or at
+# https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd
+
+"""Protocol buffers for Monorail features."""
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import division
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+from features import features_constants
+from protorpc import messages
+
+
+class Hotlist(messages.Message):
+  """This protocol buffer holds all the metadata associated with a hotlist."""
+  # A numeric identifier for this hotlist.
+  hotlist_id = messages.IntegerField(1, required=True)
+
+  # The short identifier for this hotlist.
+  name = messages.StringField(2, required=True)
+
+  # A one-line summary (human-readable) of the hotlist.
+  summary = messages.StringField(3, default='')
+
+  # A detailed description of the hotlist.
+  description = messages.StringField(4, default='')
+
+  # Hotlists can be marked private to prevent unwanted users from seeing them.
+  is_private = messages.BooleanField(5, default=False)
+
+  # Note that these lists are disjoint (a user ID will not appear twice).
+  owner_ids = messages.IntegerField(6, repeated=True)
+  editor_ids = messages.IntegerField(8, repeated=True)
+  follower_ids = messages.IntegerField(9, repeated=True)
+
+
+  class HotlistItem(messages.Message):
+    """Nested message for a hotlist to issue relation."""
+    issue_id = messages.IntegerField(1, required=True)
+    rank = messages.IntegerField(2, required=True)
+    adder_id = messages.IntegerField(3)
+    date_added = messages.IntegerField(4)
+    note = messages.StringField(5, default='')
+
+  items = messages.MessageField(HotlistItem, 10, repeated=True)
+
+  # The default columns to show on hotlist issues page
+  default_col_spec = messages.StringField(
+      11, default=features_constants.DEFAULT_COL_SPEC)
+
+def MakeHotlist(name, hotlist_item_fields=None, **kwargs):
+  """Returns a hotlist protocol buffer with the given attributes.
+    Args:
+      hotlist_item_fields: tuple of (iid, rank, user, date, note)
+  kwargs should only include the following:
+    hotlist_id, summary, description, is_private, owner_ids, editor_ids,
+    follower_ids, default_col_spec"""
+  hotlist = Hotlist(name=name, **kwargs)
+
+  if hotlist_item_fields is not None:
+    for iid, rank, user, date, note in hotlist_item_fields:
+      hotlist.items.append(Hotlist.HotlistItem(
+          issue_id=iid, rank=rank, adder_id=user, date_added=date, note=note))
+
+  return hotlist
+
+
+# For any issues that were added to hotlists before we started storing that
+# timestamp, just use the launch date of the feature as a default.
+ADDED_TS_FEATURE_LAUNCH_TS = 1484350000  # Jan 13, 2017
+
+
+def MakeHotlistItem(
+    issue_id, rank=None, adder_id=None, date_added=None, note=None):
+  item = Hotlist.HotlistItem(
+      issue_id=issue_id,
+      date_added=date_added or ADDED_TS_FEATURE_LAUNCH_TS)
+  if rank is not None:
+    item.rank = rank
+  if adder_id is not None:
+    item.adder_id = adder_id
+  if note is not None:
+    item.note = note
+  return item