diff --git a/include/pybind11/smart_holder_poc.h b/include/pybind11/smart_holder_poc.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1f14fba92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/pybind11/smart_holder_poc.h
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <typeinfo>
+
+PYBIND11_NAMESPACE_BEGIN(PYBIND11_NAMESPACE)
+
+struct smart_holder {
+  std::shared_ptr<void> vptr;
+  const std::type_info* rtti_held;
+  const std::type_info* rtti_uqp_del;
+  bool have_external_shp;
+
+  smart_holder()
+      : rtti_held{nullptr}, rtti_uqp_del{nullptr}, have_external_shp(false) {}
+
+  template <typename T>
+  void ensure_compatible_rtti(const char* context) {
+    const std::type_info* rtti_requested = &typeid(T);
+    if (!(*rtti_requested == *rtti_held)) {
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string("Incompatible RTTI (") + context +
+                               ").");
+    }
+  }
+
+  void ensure_use_count_1(const char* context) {
+    if (vptr.use_count() != 1) {
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string("Cannot disown use_count != 1 (") +
+                               context + ").");
+    }
+  }
+
+  void ensure_unique_ptr_default_deleter(const char* context) {
+    if (rtti_uqp_del != nullptr) {
+      throw std::runtime_error(
+          std::string("Cannot disown unique_ptr deleter (") + context + ").");
+    }
+  }
+
+  void ensure_internal_shared_ptr(const char* context) {
+    if (have_external_shp) {
+      throw std::runtime_error(
+          std::string("Cannot disown external shared_ptr (") + context + ").");
+    }
+  }
+
+  template <typename T>
+  void from_raw_ptr_owned(T* raw_ptr) {
+    vptr.reset(raw_ptr);
+    rtti_held = &typeid(T);
+  }
+
+  template <typename T>
+  T* as_raw_ptr_owned() {
+    static const char* context = "as_raw_ptr_owned";
+    ensure_compatible_rtti<T>(context);
+    ensure_use_count_1(context);
+    ensure_unique_ptr_default_deleter(context);
+    ensure_internal_shared_ptr(context);
+    std::shared_ptr<T> tptr = std::static_pointer_cast<T>(vptr);
+    vptr.reset();
+    T* result = tptr.get();
+    // TODO tptr.release();
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  template <typename T>
+  std::shared_ptr<T> as_shared_ptr() {
+    static const char* context = "as_shared_ptr";
+    ensure_compatible_rtti<T>(context);
+    return std::static_pointer_cast<T>(vptr);
+  }
+};
+
+PYBIND11_NAMESPACE_END(PYBIND11_NAMESPACE)
diff --git a/tests/test_smart_holder_poc.cpp b/tests/test_smart_holder_poc.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..09db276bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_smart_holder_poc.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#include "pybind11_tests.h"
+
+#include <pybind11/smart_holder_poc.h>
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace pybind11_tests {
+namespace smart_holder_poc {
+
+inline void to_cout(std::string msg) { std::cout << msg << std::endl; }
+
+inline void exercise() {
+  to_cout("");
+  namespace py = pybind11;
+  py::smart_holder hld;
+  hld.from_raw_ptr_owned(new int(13));
+  to_cout(hld.rtti_held->name());
+  {
+    std::shared_ptr<int> val = hld.as_shared_ptr<int>();
+    to_cout(std::to_string(*val));
+  }
+  {
+    std::unique_ptr<int> val(hld.as_raw_ptr_owned<int>());
+    to_cout(std::to_string(*val));
+  }
+}
+
+TEST_SUBMODULE(smart_holder_poc, m) { m.def("exercise", exercise); }
+
+}  // namespace smart_holder_poc
+}  // namespace pybind11_tests
diff --git a/tests/test_smart_holder_poc.py b/tests/test_smart_holder_poc.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1606e0cf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_smart_holder_poc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import pytest
+
+from pybind11_tests import smart_holder_poc as m
+
+
+def test_exercise():
+    m.exercise()