diff --git a/common/build.gradle b/common/build.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..09d78a6f1c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/build.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.CompileCppToBitcode
+
+// TODO: consider using some Gradle plugins to build and test
+
+
+task compileHash(type: CompileCppToBitcode) {
+    name 'hash'
+}
+
+task build {
+    dependsOn compileHash
+}
+
+task clean << {
+    delete buildDir
+}
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/cpp/City.cpp b/common/src/hash/cpp/City.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from runtime/src/main/cpp/City.cpp
rename to common/src/hash/cpp/City.cpp
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/cpp/Sha1.cpp b/common/src/hash/cpp/Sha1.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from runtime/src/main/cpp/Sha1.cpp
rename to common/src/hash/cpp/Sha1.cpp
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/cpp/City.h b/common/src/hash/headers/City.h
similarity index 100%
rename from runtime/src/main/cpp/City.h
rename to common/src/hash/headers/City.h
diff --git a/runtime/src/main/cpp/Sha1.h b/common/src/hash/headers/Sha1.h
similarity index 100%
rename from runtime/src/main/cpp/Sha1.h
rename to common/src/hash/headers/Sha1.h
diff --git a/runtime/build.gradle b/runtime/build.gradle
index 2923fa46d46..1cb729defdc 100644
--- a/runtime/build.gradle
+++ b/runtime/build.gradle
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ task build(type: CompileCppToBitcode) {
     name 'runtime'
     srcRoot file('src/main')
 
+    dependsOn ':common:compileHash'
+    compilerArgs '-I' + project.file('../common/src/hash/headers') // TODO: copy-pasted from 'common'
+    linkerArgs project.file('../common/build/hash.bc').path
 }
 
 task test {
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index fbd1ea6cbcd..04fc18c90ee 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ include ':Interop:Runtime'
 include ':InteropExample'
 include ':backend.native'
 include ':runtime'
+include ':common'