diff --git a/src/library/CMakeLists.txt b/src/library/CMakeLists.txt
index 34fd1fa7c4..25f676babc 100644
--- a/src/library/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/library/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ add_library(library OBJECT deep_copy.cpp expr_lt.cpp io_state.cpp
   messages.cpp message_builder.cpp module_mgr.cpp comp_val.cpp
   documentation.cpp check.cpp arith_instance.cpp parray.cpp process.cpp
   pipe.cpp handle.cpp profiling.cpp time_task.cpp abstract_context_cache.cpp
-  context_cache.cpp unique_id.cpp persistent_context_cache.cpp)
+  context_cache.cpp unique_id.cpp persistent_context_cache.cpp elab_context.cpp)
diff --git a/src/library/elab_context.cpp b/src/library/elab_context.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e0584b8f47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/library/elab_context.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/*
+Copyright (c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+
+Author: Leonardo de Moura
+*/
+#include "library/elab_context.h"
+
+namespace lean {
+elab_context::elab_context(environment const & env, metavar_context const & mctx, name_generator const & ngen, abstract_context_cache * cache):
+    m_env(env),
+    m_mctx(mctx),
+    m_ngen(ngen),
+    m_cache(cache) {
+}
+
+elab_context::elab_context(environment const & env, metavar_context const & mctx, name_generator const & ngen, options const & opts):
+    m_env(env),
+    m_mctx(mctx),
+    m_ngen(ngen),
+    m_dummy_cache(opts),
+    m_cache(&m_dummy_cache) {
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/library/elab_context.h b/src/library/elab_context.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9fd1710c37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/library/elab_context.h
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*
+Copyright (c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+
+Author: Leonardo de Moura
+*/
+#pragma once
+#include "util/name_generator.h"
+#include "kernel/environment.h"
+#include "library/abstract_context_cache.h"
+#include "library/metavar_context.h"
+
+namespace lean {
+/*
+  The elaboration context contains the main data used to elaborate a Lean expression.
+  This context is shared between different \c type_context objects.
+  A \c type_context object is used to infer types; solve unification/matching constraints;
+  perform type class resolution; and reduce terms. Each \c type_context object may
+  use a different \c local_context (i.e., hypotheses).
+
+  When we create a \c type_context object we just need to provide this \c elab_context
+  object and a \c local_context.
+
+  In the tactic framework, we define a subclass called \c tactic_context.
+  It contains additional information such as the set of goals. The \c tactic_context
+  is the preferred way to write tactics in C++.
+
+  In the past, the \c type_context object would contain the information stored here.
+  This decision created several problems when we needed to create multiple \c type_context
+  objects with different local contexts and/or for solving different unification/matching
+  constraints. The main benefits of the new design are:
+  - Multiple \c type_context objects may share the same \c elab_context.
+  - Faster \c type_context creation.
+  - It allows us to provide a clean Lean API for using type_context objects directly.
+*/
+class elab_context {
+protected:
+    environment              m_env;
+    metavar_context          m_mctx;
+    name_generator           m_ngen;
+    context_cacheless        m_dummy_cache;
+    abstract_context_cache * m_cache;
+
+    friend class type_context;     // TODO(Leo): delete after we have a cleaner API here
+    friend class type_context_old; // TODO(Leo): delete after refactoring
+public:
+    elab_context(environment const & env, metavar_context const & mctx, name_generator const & ngen, abstract_context_cache * cache);
+    elab_context(environment const & env, metavar_context const & mctx, name_generator const & ngen, options const & opts);
+    elab_context(elab_context const &) = delete;
+    elab_context(elab_context &&) = delete;
+    ~elab_context() {}
+
+    elab_context const & operator=(elab_context const &) = delete;
+    elab_context const & operator=(elab_context &&) = delete;
+
+    environment const & env() const { return m_env; }
+    metavar_context & mctx() { return m_mctx; }
+    abstract_context_cache & cache() { return *m_cache; }
+    name next_name() { return m_ngen.next(); }
+};
+}