diff --git a/virtcontainers/store/backend.go b/virtcontainers/store/backend.go
index c5a6a7e39d..e183e96054 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/store/backend.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/store/backend.go
@@ -48,4 +48,9 @@ type backend interface {
 	delete() error
 	load(item Item, data interface{}) error
 	store(item Item, data interface{}) error
+	// raw creates a raw Store item. A raw item is one that is
+	// not defined through the Item enum.
+	// The caller gets an item URL back and handles it directly,
+	// outside of the top level Store API.
+	raw(id string) (string, error)
 }
diff --git a/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend.go b/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend.go
index efe3f26f8c..5c6206d318 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend.go
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ func itemToFile(item Item) (string, error) {
 type filesystem struct {
 	ctx context.Context
 
-	path string
+	path    string
+	rawPath string
 }
 
 // Logger returns a logrus logger appropriate for logging Store filesystem messages
@@ -144,13 +145,18 @@ func (f *filesystem) initialize() error {
 	}
 
 	// Our root path does not exist, we need to create the initial layout:
-	// The root directory and a lock file
+	// The root directory, a lock file and a raw files directory.
 
 	// Root directory
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(f.path, DirMode); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Raw directory
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(f.rawPath, DirMode); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// Lock
 	lockPath := filepath.Join(f.path, LockFile)
 
@@ -167,6 +173,7 @@ func (f *filesystem) initialize() error {
 func (f *filesystem) new(ctx context.Context, path string, host string) error {
 	f.ctx = ctx
 	f.path = path
+	f.rawPath = filepath.Join(f.path, "raw")
 
 	f.logger().Debugf("New filesystem store backend for %s", path)
 
@@ -225,3 +232,30 @@ func (f *filesystem) store(item Item, data interface{}) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (f *filesystem) raw(id string) (string, error) {
+	span, _ := f.trace("raw")
+	defer span.Finish()
+
+	span.SetTag("id", id)
+
+	// We must use the item ID.
+	if id != "" {
+		filePath := filepath.Join(f.rawPath, id)
+		file, err := os.Create(filePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+
+		return filesystemScheme + "://" + file.Name(), nil
+	}
+
+	// Generate a random temporary file.
+	file, err := ioutil.TempFile(f.rawPath, "raw-")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	return filesystemScheme + "://" + file.Name(), nil
+}
diff --git a/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend_test.go b/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend_test.go
index b8a3bbd92a..4d62a043c0 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend_test.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/store/filesystem_backend_test.go
@@ -87,3 +87,15 @@ func TestStoreFilesystemDelete(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err = os.Stat(f.path)
 	assert.NotNil(t, err)
 }
+
+func TestStoreFilesystemRaw(t *testing.T) {
+	f := filesystem{}
+
+	err := f.new(context.Background(), rootPath, "")
+	defer f.delete()
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+	path, err := f.raw("roah")
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, path, filesystemScheme+"://"+filepath.Join(rootPath, "raw", "roah"))
+}
diff --git a/virtcontainers/store/manager.go b/virtcontainers/store/manager.go
index ef4a09f78b..d5e96b2e48 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/store/manager.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/store/manager.go
@@ -248,3 +248,16 @@ func (s *Store) Delete() error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Raw creates a raw item to be handled directly by the API caller.
+// It returns a full URL to the item and the caller is responsible
+// for handling the item through this URL.
+func (s *Store) Raw(id string) (string, error) {
+	span, _ := s.trace("Raw")
+	defer span.Finish()
+
+	s.Lock()
+	defer s.Unlock()
+
+	return s.backend.raw(id)
+}
diff --git a/virtcontainers/store/vc.go b/virtcontainers/store/vc.go
index fb43e6fd23..d3b0835624 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/store/vc.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/store/vc.go
@@ -191,6 +191,17 @@ func (s *VCStore) LoadDevices() ([]api.Device, error) {
 	return devices, nil
 }
 
+// Raw creates a raw item in the virtcontainer state Store. A raw
+// item is a custom one, not defined through the Item enum, and that
+// the caller needs to handle directly.
+// Typically this is used to create a custom virtcontainers file.
+// For example the Firecracker code uses this API to create temp
+// files under the sandbox state root path, and uses them as block
+// driver backend placeholder.
+func (s *VCStore) Raw(id string) (string, error) {
+	return s.state.Raw(id)
+}
+
 // Utilities for virtcontainers
 
 // SandboxConfigurationRoot returns a virtcontainers sandbox configuration root URL.