diff --git a/cmd/prometheus/main.go b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
index e3d7ac03a..203eafb07 100644
--- a/cmd/prometheus/main.go
+++ b/cmd/prometheus/main.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/prometheus/prometheus/discovery/install" // Register service discovery implementations.
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/notifier"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/exemplar"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/logging"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/relabel"
@@ -1163,6 +1164,10 @@ func (n notReadyAppender) AppendExemplar(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, e exemplar
 	return 0, tsdb.ErrNotReady
 }
 
+func (n notReadyAppender) AppendHistogram(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	return 0, tsdb.ErrNotReady
+}
+
 func (n notReadyAppender) Commit() error { return tsdb.ErrNotReady }
 
 func (n notReadyAppender) Rollback() error { return tsdb.ErrNotReady }
diff --git a/pkg/histogram/sparse_histogram.go b/pkg/histogram/sparse_histogram.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6ea1cb76e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/histogram/sparse_histogram.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// Copyright 2021 The Prometheus Authors
+// 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.
+
+package histogram
+
+type SparseHistogram struct {
+	Ts                               int64
+	Count, ZeroCount                 uint64
+	Sum, ZeroThreshold               float64
+	Schema                           int32
+	PositiveSpans, NegativeSpans     []Span
+	PositiveBuckets, NegativeBuckets []int64
+}
+
+type Span struct {
+	Offset int32
+	Length uint32
+}
diff --git a/scrape/helpers_test.go b/scrape/helpers_test.go
index da29d6c12..f49695877 100644
--- a/scrape/helpers_test.go
+++ b/scrape/helpers_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"math/rand"
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/exemplar"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage"
 )
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@ func (a nopAppender) Append(uint64, labels.Labels, int64, float64) (uint64, erro
 func (a nopAppender) AppendExemplar(uint64, labels.Labels, exemplar.Exemplar) (uint64, error) {
 	return 0, nil
 }
+func (a nopAppender) AppendHistogram(uint64, labels.Labels, histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	return 0, nil
+}
 func (a nopAppender) Commit() error   { return nil }
 func (a nopAppender) Rollback() error { return nil }
 
@@ -46,12 +50,15 @@ type sample struct {
 // collectResultAppender records all samples that were added through the appender.
 // It can be used as its zero value or be backed by another appender it writes samples through.
 type collectResultAppender struct {
-	next             storage.Appender
-	result           []sample
-	pendingResult    []sample
-	rolledbackResult []sample
-	pendingExemplars []exemplar.Exemplar
-	resultExemplars  []exemplar.Exemplar
+	next                 storage.Appender
+	result               []sample
+	pendingResult        []sample
+	rolledbackResult     []sample
+	pendingExemplars     []exemplar.Exemplar
+	resultExemplars      []exemplar.Exemplar
+	resultHistograms     []histogram.SparseHistogram
+	pendingHistograms    []histogram.SparseHistogram
+	rolledbackHistograms []histogram.SparseHistogram
 }
 
 func (a *collectResultAppender) Append(ref uint64, lset labels.Labels, t int64, v float64) (uint64, error) {
@@ -84,11 +91,22 @@ func (a *collectResultAppender) AppendExemplar(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, e ex
 	return a.next.AppendExemplar(ref, l, e)
 }
 
+func (a *collectResultAppender) AppendHistogram(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	a.pendingHistograms = append(a.pendingHistograms, sh)
+	if a.next == nil {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+
+	return a.next.AppendHistogram(ref, l, sh)
+}
+
 func (a *collectResultAppender) Commit() error {
 	a.result = append(a.result, a.pendingResult...)
 	a.resultExemplars = append(a.resultExemplars, a.pendingExemplars...)
+	a.resultHistograms = append(a.resultHistograms, a.pendingHistograms...)
 	a.pendingResult = nil
 	a.pendingExemplars = nil
+	a.pendingHistograms = nil
 	if a.next == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -97,7 +115,9 @@ func (a *collectResultAppender) Commit() error {
 
 func (a *collectResultAppender) Rollback() error {
 	a.rolledbackResult = a.pendingResult
+	a.rolledbackHistograms = a.pendingHistograms
 	a.pendingResult = nil
+	a.pendingHistograms = nil
 	if a.next == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/storage/fanout.go b/storage/fanout.go
index 206105fa5..df323a316 100644
--- a/storage/fanout.go
+++ b/storage/fanout.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/prometheus/common/model"
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/exemplar"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	tsdb_errors "github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/errors"
 )
@@ -172,6 +173,20 @@ func (f *fanoutAppender) AppendExemplar(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, e exemplar.
 	return ref, nil
 }
 
+func (f *fanoutAppender) AppendHistogram(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	ref, err := f.primary.AppendHistogram(ref, l, sh)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ref, err
+	}
+
+	for _, appender := range f.secondaries {
+		if _, err := appender.AppendHistogram(ref, l, sh); err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+	}
+	return ref, nil
+}
+
 func (f *fanoutAppender) Commit() (err error) {
 	err = f.primary.Commit()
 
diff --git a/storage/interface.go b/storage/interface.go
index e017d9317..a435c6060 100644
--- a/storage/interface.go
+++ b/storage/interface.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/exemplar"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/chunkenc"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/chunks"
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ type Appender interface {
 	Rollback() error
 
 	ExemplarAppender
+	HistogramAppender
 }
 
 // GetRef is an extra interface on Appenders used by downstream projects
@@ -209,6 +211,19 @@ type ExemplarAppender interface {
 	AppendExemplar(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, e exemplar.Exemplar) (uint64, error)
 }
 
+// HistogramAppender provides an interface for adding sparse histogram to the Prometheus.
+type HistogramAppender interface {
+	// AppendHistogram adds a sparse histogram for the given series labels.
+	// An optional reference number can be provided to accelerate calls.
+	// A reference number is returned which can be used to add further
+	// histograms in the same or later transactions.
+	// Returned reference numbers are ephemeral and may be rejected in calls
+	// to Append() at any point. Adding the sample via Append() returns a new
+	// reference number.
+	// If the reference is 0 it must not be used for caching.
+	AppendHistogram(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error)
+}
+
 // SeriesSet contains a set of series.
 type SeriesSet interface {
 	Next() bool
diff --git a/storage/remote/write.go b/storage/remote/write.go
index 2d96f70ae..f17505852 100644
--- a/storage/remote/write.go
+++ b/storage/remote/write.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ package remote
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/config"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/exemplar"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/tsdb/wal"
@@ -236,6 +238,10 @@ func (t *timestampTracker) AppendExemplar(_ uint64, _ labels.Labels, _ exemplar.
 	return 0, nil
 }
 
+func (t *timestampTracker) AppendHistogram(_ uint64, _ labels.Labels, _ histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	return 0, errors.New("not implemented")
+}
+
 // Commit implements storage.Appender.
 func (t *timestampTracker) Commit() error {
 	t.writeStorage.samplesIn.incr(t.samples + t.exemplars)
diff --git a/storage/remote/write_handler_test.go b/storage/remote/write_handler_test.go
index 5e086fe2f..bc8581b01 100644
--- a/storage/remote/write_handler_test.go
+++ b/storage/remote/write_handler_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-kit/log"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/exemplar"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/prompb"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage"
@@ -138,3 +139,8 @@ func (*mockAppendable) AppendExemplar(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, e exemplar.Ex
 	// noop until we implement exemplars over remote write
 	return 0, nil
 }
+
+func (*mockAppendable) AppendHistogram(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	// noop until we implement sparse histograms over remote write
+	return 0, nil
+}
diff --git a/tsdb/head.go b/tsdb/head.go
index 1fce0368f..296fa56c0 100644
--- a/tsdb/head.go
+++ b/tsdb/head.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package tsdb
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/histogram"
 	"math"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
@@ -1194,6 +1195,16 @@ func (a *initAppender) AppendExemplar(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, e exemplar.Ex
 	return a.app.AppendExemplar(ref, l, e)
 }
 
+func (a *initAppender) AppendHistogram(ref uint64, l labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	if a.app != nil {
+		return a.app.AppendHistogram(ref, l, sh)
+	}
+	a.head.initTime(sh.Ts)
+	a.app = a.head.appender()
+
+	return a.app.AppendHistogram(ref, l, sh)
+}
+
 var _ storage.GetRef = &initAppender{}
 
 func (a *initAppender) GetRef(lset labels.Labels) (uint64, labels.Labels) {
@@ -1446,6 +1457,11 @@ func (a *headAppender) AppendExemplar(ref uint64, _ labels.Labels, e exemplar.Ex
 	return s.ref, nil
 }
 
+func (a *headAppender) AppendHistogram(ref uint64, _ labels.Labels, sh histogram.SparseHistogram) (uint64, error) {
+	// TODO.
+	return 0, nil
+}
+
 var _ storage.GetRef = &headAppender{}
 
 func (a *headAppender) GetRef(lset labels.Labels) (uint64, labels.Labels) {