diff --git a/lib/cretonne/src/ir/mod.rs b/lib/cretonne/src/ir/mod.rs
index 738c6336d5..7e05622645 100644
--- a/lib/cretonne/src/ir/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/cretonne/src/ir/mod.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ mod funcname;
 mod extfunc;
 mod builder;
 mod valueloc;
+mod progpoint;
 
 pub use ir::funcname::FunctionName;
 pub use ir::extfunc::{Signature, ArgumentType, ArgumentExtension, ExtFuncData};
@@ -27,3 +28,4 @@ pub use ir::dfg::{DataFlowGraph, ValueDef};
 pub use ir::layout::{Layout, Cursor};
 pub use ir::function::Function;
 pub use ir::builder::InstBuilder;
+pub use ir::progpoint::{ProgramPoint, ProgramOrder};
diff --git a/lib/cretonne/src/ir/progpoint.rs b/lib/cretonne/src/ir/progpoint.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c609a03d8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cretonne/src/ir/progpoint.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+//! Program points.
+
+use entity_map::EntityRef;
+use ir::{Ebb, Inst};
+use std::fmt;
+use std::u32;
+use std::cmp;
+
+/// A `ProgramPoint` represents a position in a function where the live range of an SSA value can
+/// begin or end. It can be either:
+///
+/// 1. An instruction or
+/// 2. An EBB header.
+///
+/// This corresponds more or less to the lines in the textual representation of Cretonne IL.
+#[derive(PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct ProgramPoint(u32);
+
+impl From<Inst> for ProgramPoint {
+    fn from(inst: Inst) -> ProgramPoint {
+        let idx = inst.index();
+        assert!(idx < (u32::MAX / 2) as usize);
+        ProgramPoint((idx * 2) as u32)
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<Ebb> for ProgramPoint {
+    fn from(ebb: Ebb) -> ProgramPoint {
+        let idx = ebb.index();
+        assert!(idx < (u32::MAX / 2) as usize);
+        ProgramPoint((idx * 2 + 1) as u32)
+    }
+}
+
+/// An expanded program point directly exposes the variants, but takes twice the space to
+/// represent.
+pub enum ExpandedProgramPoint {
+    // An instruction in the function.
+    Inst(Inst),
+    // An EBB header.
+    Ebb(Ebb),
+}
+
+impl ProgramPoint {
+    /// Expand compact program point representation.
+    pub fn expand(self) -> ExpandedProgramPoint {
+        if self.0 & 1 == 0 {
+            ExpandedProgramPoint::Inst(Inst::new((self.0 / 2) as usize))
+        } else {
+            ExpandedProgramPoint::Ebb(Ebb::new((self.0 / 2) as usize))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for ProgramPoint {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        match self.expand() {
+            ExpandedProgramPoint::Inst(x) => write!(f, "{}", x),
+            ExpandedProgramPoint::Ebb(x) => write!(f, "{}", x),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Debug for ProgramPoint {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "ProgramPoint({})", self)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Context for ordering program points.
+///
+/// `ProgramPoint` objects don't carry enough information to be ordered independently, they need a
+/// context providing the program order.
+pub trait ProgramOrder {
+    /// Compare the program points `a` and `b` relative to this program order. Return `Less` if `a`
+    /// appears in the program before `b`.
+    fn cmp(&self, a: ProgramPoint, b: ProgramPoint) -> cmp::Ordering;
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use entity_map::EntityRef;
+    use ir::{Inst, Ebb};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn convert() {
+        let i5 = Inst::new(5);
+        let b3 = Ebb::new(3);
+
+        let pp1: ProgramPoint = i5.into();
+        let pp2: ProgramPoint = b3.into();
+
+        assert_eq!(pp1.to_string(), "inst5");
+        assert_eq!(pp2.to_string(), "ebb3");
+    }
+}