diff --git a/backend/rpc.go b/backend/rpc.go
index afffe27..61d13f9 100644
--- a/backend/rpc.go
+++ b/backend/rpc.go
@@ -120,7 +120,17 @@ func (s *RpcServer) MonitorContacts(req *rpc.MonitorContactsRequest, stream rpc.
 }
 
 func (s *RpcServer) AddContactRequest(ctx context.Context, req *rpc.ContactRequest) (*rpc.Contact, error) {
-	return nil, NotImplementedError
+	contactList := s.core.Identity.ContactList()
+	if req.Direction != rpc.ContactRequest_OUTBOUND {
+		return nil, errors.New("Request must be outbound")
+	}
+
+	contact, err := contactList.AddContactRequest(req.Address, req.Nickname, req.FromNickname, req.Text)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return contact.Data(), nil
 }
 
 func (s *RpcServer) UpdateContact(ctx context.Context, req *rpc.Contact) (*rpc.Contact, error) {
diff --git a/core/config.go b/core/config.go
index a0fae10..71eb22f 100644
--- a/core/config.go
+++ b/core/config.go
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
+// XXX This is partially but not fully compatible with Ricochet's JSON
+// configs. It might be better to be explicitly not compatible, but have
+// an automatic import function.
+
 type Config struct {
 	path     string
 	filePath string
@@ -28,15 +32,24 @@ type ConfigRoot struct {
 
 type ConfigContact struct {
 	Hostname      string
-	LastConnected string
+	LastConnected string `json:",omitempty"`
 	Nickname      string
 	WhenCreated   string
+	Request       ConfigContactRequest `json:",omitempty"`
+}
+
+type ConfigContactRequest struct {
+	Pending       bool
+	MyNickname    string
+	Message       string
+	WhenDelivered string `json:",omitempty"`
+	WhenRejected  string `json:",omitempty"`
+	RemoteError   string `json:",omitempty"`
 }
 
 type ConfigIdentity struct {
-	DataDirectory     string
-	HostnameBlacklist []string
-	ServiceKey        string
+	DataDirectory string `json:",omitempty"`
+	ServiceKey    string
 }
 
 func LoadConfig(configPath string) (*Config, error) {
diff --git a/core/contact.go b/core/contact.go
index dbb7a70..708f744 100644
--- a/core/contact.go
+++ b/core/contact.go
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	protocol "github.com/s-rah/go-ricochet"
 	"github.com/ricochet-im/ricochet-go/core/utils"
 	"github.com/ricochet-im/ricochet-go/rpc"
+	protocol "github.com/s-rah/go-ricochet"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 	"log"
 	"strconv"
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import (
 // XXX There is generally a lot of duplication and boilerplate between
 // Contact, ConfigContact, and rpc.Contact. This should be reduced somehow.
 
+// XXX Consider replacing the config contact with the protobuf structure,
+// and extending the protobuf structure for everything it needs.
+
 type Contact struct {
 	core *Ricochet
 
@@ -49,9 +52,20 @@ func ContactFromConfig(core *Ricochet, id int, data ConfigContact, events *utils
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Invalid contact hostname '%s", data.Hostname)
 	}
 
-	// XXX Should have some global trigger that starts all contact connections
-	// at the right time
-	go contact.contactConnection()
+	if data.Request.Pending {
+		if data.Request.WhenRejected != "" {
+			contact.status = ricochet.Contact_REJECTED
+		} else {
+			contact.status = ricochet.Contact_REQUEST
+		}
+	}
+
+	// XXX Ugly and fragile way to inhibit connections
+	if contact.status != ricochet.Contact_REJECTED {
+		// XXX Should have some global trigger that starts all contact connections
+		// at the right time
+		go contact.contactConnection()
+	}
 
 	return contact, nil
 }
@@ -109,6 +123,15 @@ func (c *Contact) Data() *ricochet.Contact {
 		LastConnected: c.data.LastConnected,
 		Status:        c.status,
 	}
+	if c.data.Request.Pending {
+		data.Request = &ricochet.ContactRequest{
+			Direction:    ricochet.ContactRequest_OUTBOUND,
+			Address:      data.Address,
+			Nickname:     data.Nickname,
+			Text:         c.data.Request.Message,
+			FromNickname: c.data.Request.MyNickname,
+		}
+	}
 	return data
 }
 
@@ -298,10 +321,24 @@ func (c *Contact) setConnection(conn *protocol.OpenConnection) error {
 	// XXX implement this
 
 	c.connection = conn
-	c.status = ricochet.Contact_ONLINE
 	log.Printf("Assigned connection %v to contact %v", c.connection, c)
 
-	// XXX implicit accept contact requests
+	if c.data.Request.Pending {
+		if conn.Client {
+			// XXX Need to check knownContact flag in authentication and implicit accept also
+			// Outbound connection for contact request; send request message
+			// XXX hardcoded channel ID
+			log.Printf("Sending outbound contact request to %v", c)
+			conn.SendContactRequest(5, c.data.Request.MyNickname, c.data.Request.Message)
+		} else {
+			// Inbound connection for contact request; implicitly accept request
+			// and continue as contact
+			log.Printf("Contact request implicitly accepted by incoming connection for contact %v", c)
+			c.requestAccepted()
+		}
+	} else {
+		c.status = ricochet.Contact_ONLINE
+	}
 
 	// Update LastConnected time
 	config := c.core.Config.OpenWrite()
@@ -391,6 +428,20 @@ func (c *Contact) shouldReplaceConnection(conn *protocol.OpenConnection) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// Assumes mutex is held, and assumes the caller will send the UPDATE event
+func (c *Contact) requestAccepted() {
+	config := c.core.Config.OpenWrite()
+	c.data.Request = ConfigContactRequest{}
+	config.Contacts[strconv.Itoa(c.id)] = c.data
+	config.Save()
+
+	if c.connection != nil {
+		c.status = ricochet.Contact_ONLINE
+	} else {
+		c.status = ricochet.Contact_UNKNOWN
+	}
+}
+
 // XXX also will go away during protocol API rework
 func (c *Contact) OnConnectionAuthenticated(conn *protocol.OpenConnection) {
 	c.connChannel <- conn
diff --git a/core/contactlist.go b/core/contactlist.go
index 89da429..7aae165 100644
--- a/core/contactlist.go
+++ b/core/contactlist.go
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ricochet-im/ricochet-go/rpc"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 )
 
 type ContactList struct {
+	core *Ricochet
+
 	mutex  sync.RWMutex
 	events *utils.Publisher
 
@@ -18,6 +21,7 @@ type ContactList struct {
 
 func LoadContactList(core *Ricochet) (*ContactList, error) {
 	list := &ContactList{
+		core:   core,
 		events: utils.CreatePublisher(),
 	}
 
@@ -76,8 +80,71 @@ func (this *ContactList) ContactByAddress(address string) *Contact {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (this *ContactList) AddContact(address string, name string) (*Contact, error) {
-	return nil, errors.New("Not implemented")
+func (this *ContactList) AddContactRequest(address, name, fromName, text string) (*Contact, error) {
+	this.mutex.Lock()
+	defer this.mutex.Unlock()
+
+	// XXX check that address is valid before relying on format below
+	// XXX validity checks on name/text also useful
+
+	for _, contact := range this.contacts {
+		if contact.Address() == address {
+			return nil, errors.New("Contact already exists with this address")
+		}
+		if contact.Nickname() == name {
+			return nil, errors.New("Contact already exists with this nickname")
+		}
+	}
+
+	// XXX check inbound requests
+
+	// Write new contact into config
+	config := this.core.Config.OpenWrite()
+
+	maxContactId := 0
+	for idstr, _ := range config.Contacts {
+		if id, err := strconv.Atoi(idstr); err == nil {
+			if maxContactId < id {
+				maxContactId = id
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	contactId := maxContactId + 1
+	configContact := ConfigContact{
+		Hostname:    address[9:] + ".onion",
+		Nickname:    name,
+		WhenCreated: time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339),
+		Request: ConfigContactRequest{
+			Pending:    true,
+			MyNickname: fromName,
+			Message:    text,
+		},
+	}
+
+	config.Contacts[strconv.Itoa(contactId)] = configContact
+	if err := config.Save(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Create Contact
+	// XXX This starts connection immediately, which could cause contact update
+	// events before the add event in an unlikely race case
+	contact, err := ContactFromConfig(this.core, contactId, configContact, this.events)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	this.contacts[contactId] = contact
+
+	event := ricochet.ContactEvent{
+		Type: ricochet.ContactEvent_ADD,
+		Subject: &ricochet.ContactEvent_Contact{
+			Contact: contact.Data(),
+		},
+	}
+	this.events.Publish(event)
+
+	return contact, nil
 }
 
 func (this *ContactList) RemoveContact(contact *Contact) error {
diff --git a/core/identity.go b/core/identity.go
index c7e95af..45097f6 100644
--- a/core/identity.go
+++ b/core/identity.go
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"crypto/rsa"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"errors"
-	protocol "github.com/s-rah/go-ricochet"
 	"github.com/ricochet-im/ricochet-go/core/utils"
+	protocol "github.com/s-rah/go-ricochet"
 	"github.com/yawning/bulb/utils/pkcs1"
 	"log"
 	"sync"