diff --git a/ent/generic.go b/ent/generic.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15c66ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ent/generic.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package ent
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/hyperstone/bit"
+)
+
+func genericType(spec *typeSpec, env *Env) tÿpe {
+	if !strings.Contains(spec.typeName, "<") {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	parts, err := genericName(spec.typeName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return typeError("bad generic name: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// genericName, elemName := parts[0], parts[1]
+	// elemType := func() tÿpe {
+	// 	var elemSpec typeSpec
+	// 	elemSpec = *spec
+	// 	elemSpec.name = elemName
+	// 	return parseTypeSpec(&elemSpec, env)
+	// }
+
+	switch parts[0] {
+	case "CStrongHandle":
+		return typeFn(func(r bit.Reader) (value, error) {
+			return handle(bit.ReadVarInt(r)), r.Err()
+		})
+	default:
+		return typeError("unknown generic name: %v", genericName)
+	}
+}
+
+func genericName(name string) ([2]string, error) {
+	var out [2]string
+	runes := []rune(strings.TrimSpace(name))
+	b_start := 0
+	depth := 0
+	for i, r := range runes {
+		if r == '<' {
+			if depth == 0 {
+				out[0] = strings.TrimSpace(string(runes[0:i]))
+			}
+			depth++
+			b_start = i
+		}
+		if r == '>' {
+			depth--
+			if depth == 0 {
+				if i == len(runes)-1 {
+					out[1] = strings.TrimSpace(string(runes[b_start+1 : i]))
+				} else {
+					return out, fmt.Errorf("extra runes in generic type name")
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if out[0] == "" {
+		return out, fmt.Errorf("empty generic container name")
+	}
+	if out[1] == "" {
+		return out, fmt.Errorf("empty generic element name")
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
diff --git a/ent/type.go b/ent/type.go
index 06b13be..62c6b23 100644
--- a/ent/type.go
+++ b/ent/type.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func parseTypeSpec(spec *typeSpec, env *Env) tÿpe {
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
-	return coalesce(atomType, floatType, handleType, qAngleType, hSeqType)
+	return coalesce(atomType, floatType, handleType, qAngleType, hSeqType, genericType)
 }
 
 // a type error is both an error and a type. It represents a type that we were