diff --git a/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt b/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt
index 473d1556..5d8dd3c6 100644
--- a/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/fairmq/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ set(FAIRMQ_HEADER_FILES
     plugins/Builtin.h
     plugins/Control.h
     runFairMQDevice.h
+    StateMachine.h
     shmem/FairMQMessageSHM.h
     shmem/FairMQPollerSHM.h
     shmem/FairMQRegionSHM.h
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ set(FAIRMQ_SOURCE_FILES
     PluginManager.cxx
     PluginServices.cxx
     plugins/Control.cxx
+    StateMachine.cxx
     shmem/FairMQMessageSHM.cxx
     shmem/FairMQPollerSHM.cxx
     shmem/FairMQRegionSHM.cxx
diff --git a/fairmq/EventManager.h b/fairmq/EventManager.h
index 62045cbc..972db58e 100644
--- a/fairmq/EventManager.h
+++ b/fairmq/EventManager.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class EventManager
     }
 
     template<typename E, typename ...Args>
-    auto Emit(typename E::KeyType& key, Args&&... args) const -> void
+    auto Emit(typename E::KeyType& key, Args... args) const -> void
     {
         const std::type_index event_type_index{typeid(E)};
         const std::type_index callback_type_index{typeid(Callback<E, Args...>)};
diff --git a/fairmq/StateMachine.cxx b/fairmq/StateMachine.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d7fbe3fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fairmq/StateMachine.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+/********************************************************************************
+ *    Copyright (C) 2017 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ *                                                                              *
+ *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
+ *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
+ *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
+ ********************************************************************************/
+
+#include "StateMachine.h"
+
+using namespace fair::mq;
+using namespace std;
+
+const std::unordered_map<std::string, StateMachine::State> StateMachine::fkStateStrMap = {
+    {"OK",                  State::Ok},
+    {"ERROR",               State::Error},
+    {"IDLE",                State::Idle},
+    {"INITIALIZING DEVICE", State::InitializingDevice},
+    {"DEVICE READY",        State::DeviceReady},
+    {"INITIALIZING TASK",   State::InitializingTask},
+    {"READY",               State::Ready},
+    {"RUNNING",             State::Running},
+    {"RESETTING TASK",      State::ResettingTask},
+    {"RESETTING DEVICE",    State::ResettingDevice},
+    {"EXITING",             State::Exiting}
+};
+const std::unordered_map<StateMachine::State, std::string, tools::HashEnum<StateMachine::State>> StateMachine::fkStrStateMap = {
+    {State::Ok,                 "OK"},
+    {State::Error,              "ERROR"},
+    {State::Idle,               "IDLE"},
+    {State::InitializingDevice, "INITIALIZING DEVICE"},
+    {State::DeviceReady,        "DEVICE READY"},
+    {State::InitializingTask,   "INITIALIZING TASK"},
+    {State::Ready,              "READY"},
+    {State::Running,            "RUNNING"},
+    {State::ResettingTask,      "RESETTING TASK"},
+    {State::ResettingDevice,    "RESETTING DEVICE"},
+    {State::Exiting,            "EXITING"}
+};
+const std::unordered_map<std::string, StateMachine::StateTransition> StateMachine::fkStateTransitionStrMap = {
+    {"INIT DEVICE",  StateTransition::InitDevice},
+    {"INIT TASK",    StateTransition::InitTask},
+    {"RUN",          StateTransition::Run},
+    {"STOP",         StateTransition::Stop},
+    {"RESET TASK",   StateTransition::ResetTask},
+    {"RESET DEVICE", StateTransition::ResetDevice},
+    {"END",          StateTransition::End},
+    {"ERROR FOUND",  StateTransition::ErrorFound},
+    {"AUTOMATIC",    StateTransition::Automatic},
+};
+const std::unordered_map<StateMachine::StateTransition, std::string, tools::HashEnum<StateMachine::StateTransition>> StateMachine::fkStrStateTransitionMap = {
+    {StateTransition::InitDevice,  "INIT DEVICE"},
+    {StateTransition::InitTask,    "INIT TASK"},
+    {StateTransition::Run,         "RUN"},
+    {StateTransition::Stop,        "STOP"},
+    {StateTransition::ResetTask,   "RESET TASK"},
+    {StateTransition::ResetDevice, "RESET DEVICE"},
+    {StateTransition::End,         "END"},
+    {StateTransition::ErrorFound,  "ERROR FOUND"},
+    {StateTransition::Automatic,   "AUTOMATIC"},
+};
+
+auto StateMachine::Run() -> void
+{
+    LOG(STATE) << "Starting FairMQ state machine";
+
+    LOG(DEBUG) << "Entering initial " << fErrorState << " state (orthogonal error state machine)";
+    LOG(STATE) << "Entering initial " << fState << " state";
+
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock{fMutex};
+    while (true)
+    {
+        while (fNextStates.empty())
+        {
+            fNewState.wait(lock);
+        }
+
+        State lastState;
+
+        if (fNextStates.front() == State::Error)
+        {
+            // advance error FSM
+            lastState = fErrorState;
+            fErrorState = fNextStates.front();
+            fNextStates.pop_front();
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Entering " << fErrorState << " state (orthogonal error state machine)";
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // advance regular FSM
+            lastState = fState;
+            fState = fNextStates.front();
+            fNextStates.pop_front();
+            LOG(STATE) << "Entering " << fState << " state";
+        }
+        lock.unlock();
+
+        fCallbacks.Emit<StateChange, State>(fState, lastState);
+
+        lock.lock();
+        if (fState == State::Exiting || fErrorState == State::Error) break;
+    }
+
+    LOG(STATE) << "Exiting FairMQ state machine";
+}
+
+auto StateMachine::ChangeState(StateTransition transition) -> void
+{
+    State lastState;
+
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock{fMutex};
+
+    if (transition == StateTransition::ErrorFound)
+    {
+        lastState = fErrorState;
+    }
+    else if (fNextStates.empty())
+    {
+        lastState = fState;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        lastState = fNextStates.back();
+    }
+
+    const State nextState{Transition(lastState, transition)};
+    fNextStates.push_back(nextState);
+    lock.unlock();
+
+    fCallbacks.Emit<StateQueued, State>(nextState, lastState);
+    fNewState.notify_one();
+}
+    
+auto StateMachine::Transition(const State currentState, const StateTransition transition) -> State
+{
+    switch (currentState) {
+        case State::Idle:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::InitDevice ) return State::InitializingDevice;
+            if (transition == StateTransition::End        ) return State::Exiting;
+            break;
+        case State::InitializingDevice:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::Automatic  ) return State::DeviceReady;
+            break;
+        case State::DeviceReady:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::InitTask   ) return State::InitializingTask;
+            if (transition == StateTransition::ResetDevice) return State::ResettingDevice;
+            break;
+        case State::InitializingTask:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::Automatic  ) return State::Ready;
+            break;
+        case State::Ready:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::Run        ) return State::Running;
+            if (transition == StateTransition::ResetTask  ) return State::ResettingTask;
+            break;
+        case State::Running:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::Stop       ) return State::Ready;
+            break;
+        case State::ResettingTask:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::Automatic  ) return State::DeviceReady;
+            break;
+        case State::ResettingDevice:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::Automatic  ) return State::Idle;
+            break;
+        case State::Exiting:
+            break;
+        case State::Ok:
+            if (transition == StateTransition::ErrorFound ) return State::Error;
+            break;
+        case State::Error:
+            break;
+    }
+    throw IllegalTransition{tools::ToString("No transition ", transition, " from state ", currentState, ".")};
+}
+
+StateMachine::StateMachine()
+: fState{State::Idle}
+, fErrorState{State::Ok}
+{
+}
+
+auto StateMachine::Reset() -> void
+{
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock{fMutex};
+
+    fState = State::Idle;
+    fErrorState = State::Ok;
+    fNextStates.clear();
+}
+
+auto StateMachine::NextStatePending() -> bool
+{
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock{fMutex};
+
+    return fNextStates.size() > 0;
+}
diff --git a/fairmq/StateMachine.h b/fairmq/StateMachine.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ecc36e96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fairmq/StateMachine.h
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/********************************************************************************
+ *    Copyright (C) 2017 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ *                                                                              *
+ *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
+ *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
+ *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
+ ********************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef FAIR_MQ_STATEMACHINE_H
+#define FAIR_MQ_STATEMACHINE_H
+
+#include <utility>
+#include <FairMQLogger.h>
+#include <fairmq/Tools.h>
+#include <fairmq/EventManager.h>
+#include <deque>
+#include <functional>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <condition_variable>
+#include <thread>
+#include <unordered_map>
+
+namespace fair
+{
+namespace mq
+{
+
+/**
+ * @class StateMachine StateMachine.h <fairmq/StateMachine.h>
+ * @brief Implements the state machine for FairMQ devices
+ *
+ * See https://github.com/FairRootGroup/FairRoot/blob/dev/fairmq/docs/Device.md#13-state-machine
+ */
+class StateMachine
+{
+  public:
+    enum class State : int
+    {
+        Ok,
+        Error,
+        Idle,
+        InitializingDevice,
+        DeviceReady,
+        InitializingTask,
+        Ready,
+        Running,
+        ResettingTask,
+        ResettingDevice,
+        Exiting
+    };
+
+    enum class StateTransition : int // transition event between States
+    {
+        InitDevice,
+        InitTask,
+        Run,
+        Stop,
+        ResetTask,
+        ResetDevice,
+        End,
+        ErrorFound,
+        Automatic
+    };
+
+    /// @brief Convert string to State
+    /// @param state to convert
+    /// @return State enum entry
+    /// @throw std::out_of_range if a string cannot be resolved to a State
+    static auto ToState(const std::string& state) -> State { return fkStateStrMap.at(state); }
+
+    /// @brief Convert string to StateTransition
+    /// @param transition to convert
+    /// @return StateTransition enum entry
+    /// @throw std::out_of_range if a string cannot be resolved to a StateTransition
+    static auto ToStateTransition(const std::string& transition) -> StateTransition { return fkStateTransitionStrMap.at(transition); }
+
+    /// @brief Convert State to string
+    /// @param state to convert
+    /// @return string representation of State enum entry
+    static auto ToStr(State state) -> std::string { return fkStrStateMap.at(state); }
+
+    /// @brief Convert StateTransition to string
+    /// @param transition to convert
+    /// @return string representation of StateTransition enum entry
+    static auto ToStr(StateTransition transition) -> std::string { return fkStrStateTransitionMap.at(transition); }
+
+    friend auto operator<<(std::ostream& os, const State& state) -> std::ostream& { return os << ToStr(state); }
+    friend auto operator<<(std::ostream& os, const StateTransition& transition) -> std::ostream& { return os << ToStr(transition); }
+
+    StateMachine();
+
+    struct IllegalTransition : std::runtime_error { using std::runtime_error::runtime_error; };
+
+    struct StateChange : Event<State> {};
+    struct StateQueued : Event<State> {};
+    auto SubscribeToStateChange(const std::string& subscriber, std::function<void(typename StateChange::KeyType newState, State lastState)> callback) -> void { fCallbacks.Subscribe<StateChange, State>(subscriber, callback); }
+    auto UnsubscribeFromStateChange(const std::string& subscriber) -> void { fCallbacks.Unsubscribe<StateChange, State>(subscriber); }
+    auto SubscribeToStateQueued(const std::string& subscriber, std::function<void(typename StateChange::KeyType newState, State lastState)> callback) -> void { fCallbacks.Subscribe<StateQueued, State>(subscriber, callback); }
+    auto UnsubscribeFromStateQueued(const std::string& subscriber) -> void { fCallbacks.Unsubscribe<StateQueued, State>(subscriber); }
+
+    auto GetCurrentState() const -> State { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock{fMutex}; return fState; }
+    auto GetCurrentErrorState() const -> State { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock{fMutex}; return fErrorState; }
+    auto GetLastQueuedState() const -> State { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock{fMutex}; return fNextStates.back(); }
+
+    auto ChangeState(StateTransition transition) -> void;
+
+    auto Run() -> void;
+    auto Reset() -> void;
+
+    auto NextStatePending() -> bool;
+
+  private:
+    State fState;
+    State fErrorState;
+    std::deque<State> fNextStates;
+    EventManager fCallbacks;
+
+    static const std::unordered_map<std::string, State> fkStateStrMap;
+    static const std::unordered_map<State, std::string, tools::HashEnum<State>> fkStrStateMap;
+    static const std::unordered_map<std::string, StateTransition> fkStateTransitionStrMap;
+    static const std::unordered_map<StateTransition, std::string, tools::HashEnum<StateTransition>> fkStrStateTransitionMap;
+
+    mutable std::mutex fMutex;
+    std::condition_variable fNewState;
+
+    static auto Transition(const State currentState, const StateTransition transition) -> State;
+}; /* class StateMachine */
+
+} /* namespace mq */
+} /* namespace fair */
+
+#endif /* FAIR_MQ_STATEMACHINE_H */
diff --git a/fairmq/test/CMakeLists.txt b/fairmq/test/CMakeLists.txt
index a96828be..ad6adf8a 100644
--- a/fairmq/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/fairmq/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -151,6 +151,15 @@ add_testsuite(FairMQ.EventManager
     TIMEOUT 10
 )
 
+add_testsuite(FairMQ.StateMachine
+    SOURCES
+    state_machine/runner.cxx
+    state_machine/_state_machine.cxx
+
+    LINKS FairMQ
+    TIMEOUT 10
+)
+
 ##############################
 # Aggregate all test targets #
 ##############################
diff --git a/fairmq/test/state_machine/_state_machine.cxx b/fairmq/test/state_machine/_state_machine.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8bbf3538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fairmq/test/state_machine/_state_machine.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+/********************************************************************************
+ *    Copyright (C) 2017 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ *                                                                              *
+ *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
+ *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
+ *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
+ ********************************************************************************/
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include <fairmq/StateMachine.h>
+#include <FairMQLogger.h>
+#include <string>
+#include <thread>
+
+namespace
+{
+
+using namespace std;
+using namespace fair::mq;
+using S = StateMachine::State;
+using T = StateMachine::StateTransition;
+
+TEST(StateMachine, RegularFSM)
+{
+    StateMachine fsm;
+
+    ASSERT_FALSE(fsm.NextStatePending());
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::InitDevice));
+    ASSERT_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::InitDevice), StateMachine::IllegalTransition);
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Automatic));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::InitTask));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Automatic));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Run));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Stop));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::ResetTask));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Automatic));
+
+    int cnt{0};
+    fsm.SubscribeToStateQueued("test", [&](S newState, S lastState){
+        ++cnt;
+    });
+
+    fsm.SubscribeToStateChange("test", [&](S newState, S lastState){
+        if (newState == S::Idle && lastState == S::ResettingDevice)
+            ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::End));
+    });
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::ResetDevice));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Automatic));
+
+    fsm.UnsubscribeFromStateQueued("test");
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(fsm.NextStatePending());
+
+    fsm.Run();
+
+    EXPECT_EQ(cnt, 2);
+}
+
+TEST(StateMachine, ErrorFSM)
+{
+    StateMachine fsm;
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::InitDevice));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::Automatic));
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::ErrorFound));
+
+    fsm.Run();
+}
+
+TEST(StateMachine, Reset)
+{
+    StateMachine fsm;
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::End));
+    fsm.Run();
+
+    fsm.Reset();
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(fsm.ChangeState(T::End));
+    fsm.Run();
+}
+
+TEST(StateMachine, StateConversions)
+{
+    StateMachine fsm;
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("OK"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("ERROR"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("IDLE"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("INITIALIZING DEVICE"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("DEVICE READY"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("INITIALIZING TASK"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("READY"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("RUNNING"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("RESETTING TASK"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("RESETTING DEVICE"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToState("EXITING"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::Ok));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::Error));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::Idle));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::InitializingDevice));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::DeviceReady));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::InitializingTask));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::Ready));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::Running));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::ResettingTask));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::ResettingDevice));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(S::Exiting));
+}
+
+TEST(StateMachine, StateTransitionConversions)
+{
+    StateMachine fsm;
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("INIT DEVICE"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("INIT TASK"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("RUN"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("STOP"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("RESET TASK"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("RESET DEVICE"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("END"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("ERROR FOUND"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStateTransition("AUTOMATIC"));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::InitDevice));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::InitTask));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::Run));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::Stop));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::ResetTask));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::ResetDevice));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::End));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::ErrorFound));
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(fsm.ToStr(T::Automatic));
+}
+
+} // namespace
diff --git a/fairmq/test/state_machine/runner.cxx b/fairmq/test/state_machine/runner.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5442845e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fairmq/test/state_machine/runner.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/********************************************************************************
+ *    Copyright (C) 2017 GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH    *
+ *                                                                              *
+ *              This software is distributed under the terms of the             *
+ *              GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL) version 3,             *
+ *                  copied verbatim in the file "LICENSE"                       *
+ ********************************************************************************/
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+auto main(int argc, char** argv) -> int
+{
+    ::testing::InitGoogleTest(&argc, argv);
+    ::testing::FLAGS_gtest_death_test_style = "threadsafe";
+    return RUN_ALL_TESTS();
+}