diff --git a/include/sway/input-manager.h b/include/sway/input-manager.h
index a3662f7b..4c01a043 100644
--- a/include/sway/input-manager.h
+++ b/include/sway/input-manager.h
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
-#ifndef _SWAY_INPUT_H
-#define _SWAY_INPUT_H
+#ifndef _SWAY_INPUT_MANAGER_H
+#define _SWAY_INPUT_MANAGER_H
 #include <libinput.h>
 #include "sway/server.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "list.h"
 
 struct sway_input_manager {
-	list_t *input_devices;
+	struct wl_listener input_add;
+	struct wl_listener input_remove;
+	struct sway_server *server;
+	list_t *seats;
 };
 
 struct input_config *new_input_config(const char* identifier);
diff --git a/include/sway/seat.h b/include/sway/seat.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2b8fe51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/sway/seat.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#ifndef _SWAY_SEAT_H
+#define _SWAY_SEAT_H
+
+#include <wlr/types/wlr_seat.h>
+#include "sway/input-manager.h"
+
+struct sway_seat {
+	struct wlr_seat *seat;
+};
+
+struct sway_seat *sway_seat_create(struct wl_display *display,
+		const char *seat_name);
+
+void sway_seat_add_device(struct sway_seat *seat,
+		struct wlr_input_device *device);
+
+void sway_seat_remove_device(struct sway_seat *seat,
+		struct wlr_input_device *device);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/sway/input/input-manager.c b/sway/input/input-manager.c
index 285a68b8..b5ab8cc1 100644
--- a/sway/input/input-manager.c
+++ b/sway/input/input-manager.c
@@ -7,12 +7,52 @@
 #include <libinput.h>
 #include "sway/config.h"
 #include "sway/input-manager.h"
+#include "sway/seat.h"
 #include "sway/server.h"
 #include "list.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
+static const char *default_seat = "seat0";
+
 struct input_config *current_input_config = NULL;
 
+static struct sway_seat *input_manager_get_seat(
+		struct sway_input_manager *input, const char *seat_name) {
+	struct sway_seat *seat = NULL;
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < input->seats->length; ++i) {
+		seat = input->seats->items[i];
+		if (strcmp(seat->seat->name, seat_name) == 0) {
+			return seat;
+		}
+	}
+
+	seat = sway_seat_create(input->server->wl_display, seat_name);
+	list_add(input->seats, seat);
+
+	return seat;
+}
+
+static void input_add_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_input_manager *input =
+		wl_container_of(listener, input, input_add);
+	struct wlr_input_device *device = data;
+
+	// TODO device configuration
+	struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_get_seat(input, default_seat);
+	sway_seat_add_device(seat, device);
+}
+
+static void input_remove_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_input_manager *input =
+		wl_container_of(listener, input, input_remove);
+	struct wlr_input_device *device = data;
+
+	// TODO device configuration
+	struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_get_seat(input, default_seat);
+	sway_seat_remove_device(seat, device);
+}
+
 struct sway_input_manager *sway_input_manager_create(
 		struct sway_server *server) {
 	struct sway_input_manager *input =
@@ -20,6 +60,20 @@ struct sway_input_manager *sway_input_manager_create(
 	if (!input) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	// XXX probably don't need the full server
+	input->server = server;
+
+	input->seats = create_list();
+
+	// create the default seat
+	input_manager_get_seat(input, default_seat);
+
+	input->input_add.notify = input_add_notify;
+	wl_signal_add(&server->backend->events.input_add, &input->input_add);
+
+	input->input_remove.notify = input_remove_notify;
+	wl_signal_add(&server->backend->events.input_remove, &input->input_remove);
+
 	return input;
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/input/seat.c b/sway/input/seat.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f41b6dba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/input/seat.c
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#define _XOPEN_SOURCE 700
+#include "sway/seat.h"
+#include "sway/input-manager.h"
+#include "log.h"
+
+struct sway_seat *sway_seat_create(struct wl_display *display,
+		const char *seat_name) {
+	struct sway_seat *seat = calloc(1, sizeof(struct sway_seat));
+	if (!seat) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	seat->seat = wlr_seat_create(display, seat_name);
+	return seat;
+}
+
+void sway_seat_add_device(struct sway_seat *seat,
+		struct wlr_input_device *device) {
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "input add: %s", device->name);
+}
+
+void sway_seat_remove_device(struct sway_seat *seat,
+		struct wlr_input_device *device) {
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "input remove: %s", device->name);
+}
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index b5cdbbf2..cea565d6 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'server.c',
 	'commands.c',
 	'input/input-manager.c',
+	'input/seat.c',
 	'commands/exit.c',
 	'commands/exec.c',
 	'commands/exec_always.c',