diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index 1eaf3f6a9..ff711e654 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
                     'packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/index.js',
                     'packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/*.js',
                     'packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/events.js',
+                    'packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks.js',
                     'packages/node_modules/@node-red/util/**/*.js',
                     'packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-api/lib/index.js',
                     'packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-api/lib/auth/index.js'
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/util.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/util.js
index 4e68caf51..5a6d3da38 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/util.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/util.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ function createNodeApi(node) {
         log: {},
         settings: {},
         events: runtime.events,
+        hooks: runtime.hooks,
         util: runtime.util,
         version: runtime.version,
         require: requireModule,
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
index 157f384c8..ec46d8374 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ var deprecated = typeRegistry.deprecated;
 
 var context = require("../nodes/context")
 var credentials = require("../nodes/credentials");
-var router = require("./router");
 var flowUtil = require("./util");
 var log;
 var events = require("../events");
@@ -70,7 +69,6 @@ function init(runtime) {
     }
     Flow.init(runtime);
     flowUtil.init(runtime);
-    router.init(runtime);
 }
 
 function loadFlows() {
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8333302f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks.js
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+const Log = require("@node-red/util").log;
+
+// Flags for what hooks have handlers registered
+let states = { }
+
+// Hooks by id
+let hooks = { }
+
+// Hooks by label
+let labelledHooks = { }
+
+/**
+ * Runtime hooks engine
+ * @mixin @node-red/runtime_hooks
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Register a handler to a named hook
+ * @memberof @node-red/runtime_hooks
+ * @param {String} hookId - the name of the hook to attach to
+ * @param {Function} callback - the callback function for the hook
+ */
+function add(hookId, callback) {
+    let [id, label] = hookId.split(".");
+    if (label) {
+        if (labelledHooks[label] && labelledHooks[label][id]) {
+            throw new Error("Hook "+hookId+" already registered")
+        }
+        labelledHooks[label] = labelledHooks[label]||{};
+        labelledHooks[label][id] = callback;
+    }
+    // Get location of calling code
+    const stack = new Error().stack;
+    const callModule = stack.split("\n")[2].split("(")[1].slice(0,-1);
+    Log.debug(`Adding hook '${hookId}' from ${callModule}`);
+
+    hooks[id] = hooks[id] || [];
+    hooks[id].push({cb:callback,location:callModule});
+    states[id] = true;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove a handled from a named hook
+ * @memberof @node-red/runtime_hooks
+ * @param {String} hookId - the name of the hook event to remove - must be `name.label`
+ */
+function remove(hookId) {
+    let [id,label] = hookId.split(".");
+    if ( !label) {
+        throw new Error("Cannot remove hook without label: ",hookId)
+    }
+    Log.debug(`Removing hook '${hookId}'`);
+    if (labelledHooks[label]) {
+        if (id === "*") {
+            // Remove all hooks for this label
+            let hookList = Object.keys(labelledHooks[label]);
+            for (let i=0;i<hookList.length;i++) {
+                removeHook(hookList[i],labelledHooks[label][hookList[i]])
+            }
+            delete labelledHooks[label];
+        } else if (labelledHooks[label][id]) {
+            removeHook(id,labelledHooks[label][id])
+            delete labelledHooks[label][id];
+            if (Object.keys(labelledHooks[label]).length === 0){
+                delete labelledHooks[label];
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+function removeHook(id,callback) {
+    let i = hooks[id].findIndex(hook => hook.cb === callback);
+    if (i !== -1) {
+        hooks[id].splice(i,1);
+        if (hooks[id].length === 0) {
+            delete hooks[id];
+            delete states[id];
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+function trigger(hookId, payload, done) {
+    const hookStack = hooks[hookId];
+    if (!hookStack || hookStack.length === 0) {
+        done();
+        return;
+    }
+    let i = 0;
+
+    function callNextHook(err) {
+        if (i === hookStack.length || err) {
+            done(err);
+            return;
+        }
+        const hook = hookStack[i++];
+        const callback = hook.cb;
+        if (callback.length === 1) {
+            try {
+                let result = callback(payload);
+                if (result === false) {
+                    // Halting the flow
+                    done(false);
+                    return
+                }
+                if (result && typeof result.then === 'function') {
+                    result.then(handleResolve, callNextHook)
+                    return;
+                }
+                callNextHook();
+            } catch(err) {
+                done(err);
+                return;
+            }
+        } else {
+            try {
+                callback(payload,handleResolve)
+            } catch(err) {
+                done(err);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    callNextHook();
+
+    function handleResolve(result) {
+        if (result === undefined) {
+            callNextHook();
+        } else {
+            done(result);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// add("preSend", function(sendEvents) {
+//     console.log("preSend",JSON.stringify(sendEvents));
+// })
+// add("preRoute", function(sendEvent) {
+//     console.log("preRoute",JSON.stringify(sendEvent.msg));
+// })
+// add("onSend", function(sendEvent) {
+//     console.log("onSend",JSON.stringify(sendEvent.msg));
+// })
+// add("postSend", function(sendEvent) {
+//     console.log("postSend",JSON.stringify(sendEvent.msg));
+// })
+// add("onReceive", function(recEvent) {
+//     console.log("onReceive",recEvent.destination.id,JSON.stringify(recEvent.msg))
+// })
+// add("postReceive", function(recEvent) {
+//     console.log("postReceive",recEvent.destination.id,JSON.stringify(recEvent.msg))
+// })
+
+function clear() {
+    hooks = {}
+    labelledHooks = {}
+    states = {}
+}
+module.exports = {
+    get states() { return states },
+    clear,
+    add,
+    remove,
+    trigger
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/index.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/index.js
index 21e775393..f9a772ea3 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/index.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/index.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ var flows = require("./flows");
 var storage = require("./storage");
 var library = require("./library");
 var events = require("./events");
+var hooks = require("./hooks");
 var settings = require("./settings");
 var exec = require("./exec");
 
@@ -273,6 +274,7 @@ var runtime = {
     settings: settings,
     storage: storage,
     events: events,
+    hooks: hooks,
     nodes: redNodes,
     flows: flows,
     library: library,
@@ -357,6 +359,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
     storage: storage,
     events: events,
+    hooks: hooks,
     util: require("@node-red/util").util,
     get httpNode() { return nodeApp },
     get httpAdmin() { return adminApp },
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/node-red/lib/red.js b/packages/node_modules/node-red/lib/red.js
index 9a4d77862..684ff6d8a 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/node-red/lib/red.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/node-red/lib/red.js
@@ -145,6 +145,14 @@ module.exports = {
      */
     events: runtime.events,
 
+    /**
+     * Runtime hooks engine
+     * @see @node-red/runtime_hooks
+     * @memberof node-red
+     */
+    hooks: runtime.hooks,
+
+
     /**
      * This provides access to the internal settings module of the
      * runtime.
diff --git a/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks_spec.js b/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks_spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79c8c6bce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks_spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+const should = require("should");
+const NR_TEST_UTILS = require("nr-test-utils");
+
+const hooks = NR_TEST_UTILS.require("@node-red/runtime/lib/hooks");
+
+describe("runtime/hooks", function() {
+    afterEach(function() {
+        hooks.clear();
+    })
+    it("allows a hook to be registered", function(done) {
+        let calledWith = null;
+        should.not.exist(hooks.states.foo);
+        hooks.add("foo", function(payload) { calledWith = payload } )
+        hooks.states.foo.should.be.true();
+        let data = { a: 1 };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            calledWith.should.equal(data);
+            done(err);
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("calls hooks in the order they were registered", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A") } )
+        hooks.add("foo", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A","B"])
+            done(err);
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("does not allow multiple hooks with same id.label", function() {
+        hooks.add("foo.one", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A") } );
+        (function() {
+            hooks.add("foo.one", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+        }).should.throw();
+    })
+
+    it("removes labelled hook", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A") } )
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        hooks.remove("foo.A");
+        hooks.states.foo.should.be.true();
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            try {
+                data.order.should.eql(["B"])
+
+                hooks.remove("foo.B");
+                should.not.exist(hooks.states.foo);
+
+                done(err);
+            } catch(err2) {
+                done(err2);
+            }
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("cannot remove unlabelled hook", function() {
+        hooks.add("foo", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A") } );
+        (function() {
+            hooks.remove("foo")
+        }).should.throw();
+    })
+    it("removes all hooks with same label", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A") } )
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+        hooks.add("bar.A", function(payload) { payload.order.push("C") } )
+        hooks.add("bar.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("D") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A","B"])
+            hooks.trigger("bar", data, err => {
+                data.order.should.eql(["A","B","C","D"])
+
+                data.order = [];
+
+                hooks.remove("*.A");
+
+                hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+                    data.order.should.eql(["B"])
+                    hooks.trigger("bar", data, err => {
+                        data.order.should.eql(["B","D"])
+                    })
+                    done(err);
+                })
+            })
+        })
+    })
+
+
+    it("halts execution on return false", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A"); return false } )
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A"])
+            err.should.be.false();
+            done();
+        })
+    })
+    it("halts execution on thrown error", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload) { payload.order.push("A"); throw new Error("error") } )
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A"])
+            should.exist(err);
+            err.should.not.be.false()
+            done();
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("handler can use callback function", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload, done) {
+            setTimeout(function() {
+                payload.order.push("A")
+                done()
+            },30)
+        })
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A","B"])
+            done(err);
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("handler can use callback function - halt execution", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload, done) {
+            setTimeout(function() {
+                payload.order.push("A")
+                done(false)
+            },30)
+        })
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A"])
+            err.should.be.false()
+            done();
+        })
+    })
+    it("handler can use callback function - halt on error", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", function(payload, done) {
+            setTimeout(function() {
+                done(new Error("test error"))
+            },30)
+        })
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql([])
+            should.exist(err);
+            err.should.not.be.false()
+            done();
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("handler be an async function", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", async function(payload) {
+            return new Promise(resolve => {
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    payload.order.push("A")
+                    resolve()
+                },30)
+            });
+        })
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A","B"])
+            done(err);
+        })
+    })
+
+    it("handler be an async function - halt execution", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", async function(payload) {
+            return new Promise(resolve => {
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    payload.order.push("A")
+                    resolve(false)
+                },30)
+            });
+        })
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql(["A"])
+            done(err);
+        })
+    })
+    it("handler be an async function - halt on error", function(done) {
+        hooks.add("foo.A", async function(payload) {
+            return new Promise((resolve,reject) => {
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    reject(new Error("test error"))
+                },30)
+            });
+        })
+        hooks.add("foo.B", function(payload) { payload.order.push("B") } )
+
+        let data = { order:[] };
+        hooks.trigger("foo",data,err => {
+            data.order.should.eql([])
+            should.exist(err);
+            err.should.not.be.false()
+            done();
+        })
+    })
+});