diff --git a/arangod/RocksDBEngine/CMakeLists.txt b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/CMakeLists.txt
index 2ffe44cf55..8cdc24ef94 100644
--- a/arangod/RocksDBEngine/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ set(ROCKSDB_SOURCES
   RocksDBEngine/RocksDBIndex.cpp
   RocksDBEngine/RocksDBIndexFactory.cpp
   RocksDBEngine/RocksDBKey.cpp
+  RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.cpp
   RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPrimaryIndex.cpp
   RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPrimaryMockIndex.cpp
   RocksDBEngine/RocksDBTransactionCollection.cpp
diff --git a/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBEdgeIndex.cpp b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBEdgeIndex.cpp
index e4d64d41e4..1edc9131de 100644
--- a/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBEdgeIndex.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBEdgeIndex.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ bool RocksDBEdgeIndexIterator::next(TokenCallback const& cb, size_t limit) {
     RocksDBKey prefix =
         RocksDBKey::EdgeIndexPrefix(_index->_objectId, fromTo.copyString());
 
-    std::unique_ptr<rocksdb::Iterator> iter(rtrx->GetIterator(state->readOptions()));
+    std::unique_ptr<rocksdb::Iterator> iter(
+        rtrx->GetIterator(state->readOptions()));
 
     rocksdb::Slice rSlice(prefix.string());
     iter->Seek(rSlice);
diff --git a/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.cpp b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e5f78739f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,365 @@
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// DISCLAIMER
+///
+/// Copyright 2014-2016 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+/// Copyright 2004-2014 triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+/// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+/// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+///
+///     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+///
+/// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+/// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+/// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+/// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+/// limitations under the License.
+///
+/// Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// @author Jan Steemann
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include "RocksDBPathBasedIndex.h"
+#include "Aql/AstNode.h"
+#include "Basics/FixedSizeAllocator.h"
+#include "Basics/VelocyPackHelper.h"
+#include "Logger/Logger.h"
+#include "MMFiles/MMFilesIndexElement.h"
+
+#include <velocypack/Iterator.h>
+#include <velocypack/velocypack-aliases.h>
+
+using namespace arangodb;
+
+/// @brief the _key attribute, which, when used in an index, will implictly make it unique
+static std::vector<arangodb::basics::AttributeName> const KeyAttribute
+     {arangodb::basics::AttributeName("_key", false)};
+
+arangodb::aql::AstNode const* MMFilesPathBasedIndex::PermutationState::getValue()
+    const {
+  if (type == arangodb::aql::NODE_TYPE_OPERATOR_BINARY_EQ) {
+    TRI_ASSERT(current == 0);
+    return value;
+  } else if (type == arangodb::aql::NODE_TYPE_OPERATOR_BINARY_IN) {
+    TRI_ASSERT(n > 0);
+    TRI_ASSERT(current < n);
+    return value->getMember(current);
+  }
+
+  TRI_ASSERT(false);
+  return nullptr;
+}
+
+/// @brief create the index
+MMFilesPathBasedIndex::MMFilesPathBasedIndex(TRI_idx_iid_t iid,
+                               arangodb::LogicalCollection* collection,
+                               VPackSlice const& info, size_t baseSize, bool allowPartialIndex)
+    : Index(iid, collection, info),
+      _useExpansion(false),
+      _allowPartialIndex(allowPartialIndex) {
+  TRI_ASSERT(!_fields.empty());
+
+  TRI_ASSERT(iid != 0);
+
+  fillPaths(_paths, _expanding);
+
+  for (auto const& it : _fields) {
+    if (TRI_AttributeNamesHaveExpansion(it)) {
+      _useExpansion = true;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  
+  _allocator.reset(new FixedSizeAllocator(baseSize + sizeof(MMFilesIndexElementValue) * numPaths()));
+}
+
+/// @brief destroy the index
+MMFilesPathBasedIndex::~MMFilesPathBasedIndex() {
+  _allocator->deallocateAll();
+}
+
+/// @brief whether or not the index is implicitly unique
+/// this can be the case if the index is not declared as unique, but contains a 
+/// unique attribute such as _key
+bool MMFilesPathBasedIndex::implicitlyUnique() const {
+  if (_unique) {
+    // a unique index is always unique
+    return true;
+  }
+  if (_useExpansion) {
+    // when an expansion such as a[*] is used, the index may not be unique, even
+    // if it contains attributes that are guaranteed to be unique
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  for (auto const& it : _fields) {
+    // if _key is contained in the index fields definition, then the index is
+    // implicitly unique
+    if (it == KeyAttribute) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // _key not contained
+  return false;
+}
+
+/// @brief helper function to insert a document into any index type
+template<typename T>
+int MMFilesPathBasedIndex::fillElement(std::vector<T*>& elements,
+                                TRI_voc_rid_t revisionId,
+                                VPackSlice const& doc) {
+  if (doc.isNone()) {
+    LOG_TOPIC(ERR, arangodb::Logger::FIXME) << "encountered invalid marker with slice of type None";
+    return TRI_ERROR_INTERNAL;
+  }
+
+  TRI_IF_FAILURE("FillElementIllegalSlice") { return TRI_ERROR_INTERNAL; }
+
+  size_t const n = _paths.size();
+
+  if (!_useExpansion) {
+    // fast path for inserts... no array elements used
+    auto slices = buildIndexValue(doc);
+
+    if (slices.size() == n) {
+      // if slices.size() != n, then the value is not inserted into the index
+      // because of index sparsity!
+      T* element = static_cast<T*>(_allocator->allocate());
+      TRI_ASSERT(element != nullptr);
+      element = T::initialize(element, revisionId, slices);
+
+      if (element == nullptr) {
+        return TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+      }
+      TRI_IF_FAILURE("FillElementOOM") {
+        // clean up manually
+        _allocator->deallocate(element);
+        return TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+      }
+
+      try {
+        TRI_IF_FAILURE("FillElementOOM2") {
+          THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY);
+        }
+
+        elements.emplace_back(element);
+      } catch (...) {
+        _allocator->deallocate(element);
+        return TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+      }
+    }
+  } else {
+    // other path for handling array elements, too
+    std::vector<std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>>> toInsert;
+    std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>> sliceStack;
+
+    buildIndexValues(doc, 0, toInsert, sliceStack);
+
+    if (!toInsert.empty()) {
+      elements.reserve(toInsert.size());
+
+      for (auto& info : toInsert) {
+        TRI_ASSERT(info.size() == n);
+        T* element = static_cast<T*>(_allocator->allocate());
+        TRI_ASSERT(element != nullptr);
+        element = T::initialize(element, revisionId, info);
+
+        if (element == nullptr) {
+          return TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+        }
+        TRI_IF_FAILURE("FillElementOOM") {
+          // clean up manually
+          _allocator->deallocate(element);
+          return TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+        }
+
+        try {
+          TRI_IF_FAILURE("FillElementOOM2") {
+            THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY);
+          }
+
+          elements.emplace_back(element);
+        } catch (...) {
+          _allocator->deallocate(element);
+          return TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  return TRI_ERROR_NO_ERROR;
+}
+
+/// @brief helper function to create the sole index value insert
+std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>> MMFilesPathBasedIndex::buildIndexValue(
+    VPackSlice const documentSlice) {
+  size_t const n = _paths.size();
+
+  std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>> result;
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
+    TRI_ASSERT(!_paths[i].empty());
+
+    VPackSlice slice = documentSlice.get(_paths[i]);
+    if (slice.isNone() || slice.isNull()) {
+      // attribute not found
+      if (_sparse) {
+        // if sparse we do not have to index, this is indicated by result
+        // being shorter than n
+        result.clear();
+        break;
+      }
+      // null, note that this will be copied later!
+      result.emplace_back(arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::NullValue(), 0); // fake offset 0
+    } else {
+      result.emplace_back(slice, static_cast<uint32_t>(slice.start() - documentSlice.start()));
+    }
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+/// @brief helper function to create a set of index combinations to insert
+void MMFilesPathBasedIndex::buildIndexValues(
+    VPackSlice const document, size_t level,
+    std::vector<std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>>>& toInsert,
+    std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>>& sliceStack) {
+  // Invariant: level == sliceStack.size()
+
+  // Stop the recursion:
+  if (level == _paths.size()) {
+    toInsert.push_back(sliceStack);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (_expanding[level] == -1) {   // the trivial, non-expanding case
+    VPackSlice slice = document.get(_paths[level]);
+    if (slice.isNone() || slice.isNull()) {
+      if (_sparse) {
+        return;
+      }
+      sliceStack.emplace_back(arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::NullValue(), 0);
+    } else {
+      sliceStack.emplace_back(slice, static_cast<uint32_t>(slice.start() - document.start()));
+    }
+    buildIndexValues(document, level + 1, toInsert, sliceStack);
+    sliceStack.pop_back();
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Finally, the complex case, where we have to expand one entry.
+  // Note again that at most one step in the attribute path can be
+  // an array step. Furthermore, if _allowPartialIndex is true and
+  // anything goes wrong with this attribute path, we have to bottom out
+  // with None values to be able to use the index for a prefix match.
+
+  // Trivial case to bottom out with Illegal types.
+  VPackSlice illegalSlice = arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::IllegalValue();
+
+  auto finishWithNones = [&]() -> void {
+    if (!_allowPartialIndex || level == 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+    for (size_t i = level; i < _paths.size(); i++) {
+      sliceStack.emplace_back(illegalSlice, 0);
+    }
+    toInsert.push_back(sliceStack);
+    for (size_t i = level; i < _paths.size(); i++) {
+      sliceStack.pop_back();
+    }
+  };
+  size_t const n = _paths[level].size();
+  // We have 0 <= _expanding[level] < n.
+  VPackSlice current(document);
+  for (size_t i = 0; i <= static_cast<size_t>(_expanding[level]); i++) {
+    if (!current.isObject()) {
+      finishWithNones();
+      return;
+    }
+    current = current.get(_paths[level][i]);
+    if (current.isNone()) {
+      finishWithNones();
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+  // Now the expansion:
+  if (!current.isArray() || current.length() == 0) {
+    finishWithNones();
+    return;
+  }
+
+  std::unordered_set<VPackSlice,
+                     arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::VPackHash,
+                     arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::VPackEqual>
+      seen(2, arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::VPackHash(),
+              arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::VPackEqual());
+
+  auto moveOn = [&](VPackSlice something) -> void {
+    auto it = seen.find(something);
+    if (it == seen.end()) {
+      seen.insert(something);
+      sliceStack.emplace_back(something, static_cast<uint32_t>(something.start() - document.start()));
+      buildIndexValues(document, level + 1, toInsert, sliceStack);
+      sliceStack.pop_back();
+    }
+  };
+  for (auto const& member : VPackArrayIterator(current)) {
+    VPackSlice current2(member);
+    bool doneNull = false;
+    for (size_t i = _expanding[level] + 1; i < n; i++) {
+      if (!current2.isObject()) {
+        if (!_sparse) {
+          moveOn(arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::NullValue());
+        }
+        doneNull = true;
+        break;
+      }
+      current2 = current2.get(_paths[level][i]);
+      if (current2.isNone()) {
+        if (!_sparse) {
+          moveOn(arangodb::basics::VelocyPackHelper::NullValue());
+        }
+        doneNull = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!doneNull) {
+      moveOn(current2);
+    }
+    // Finally, if, because of sparsity, we have not inserted anything by now,
+    // we need to play the above trick with None because of the above mentioned
+    // reasons:
+    if (seen.empty()) {
+      finishWithNones();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/// @brief helper function to transform AttributeNames into strings.
+void MMFilesPathBasedIndex::fillPaths(std::vector<std::vector<std::string>>& paths,
+                               std::vector<int>& expanding) {
+  paths.clear();
+  expanding.clear();
+  for (std::vector<arangodb::basics::AttributeName> const& list : _fields) {
+    paths.emplace_back();
+    std::vector<std::string>& interior(paths.back());
+    int expands = -1;
+    int count = 0;
+    for (auto const& att : list) {
+      interior.emplace_back(att.name);
+      if (att.shouldExpand) {
+        expands = count;
+      }
+      ++count;
+    }
+    expanding.emplace_back(expands);
+  }
+}
+
+// template instanciations for fillElement
+template
+int MMFilesPathBasedIndex::fillElement(std::vector<MMFilesHashIndexElement*>& elements, TRI_voc_rid_t revisionId, VPackSlice const& doc);
+
+template
+int MMFilesPathBasedIndex::fillElement(std::vector<MMFilesSkiplistIndexElement*>& elements, TRI_voc_rid_t revisionId, VPackSlice const& doc);
diff --git a/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.h b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..02f4256b75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arangod/RocksDBEngine/RocksDBPathBasedIndex.h
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// DISCLAIMER
+///
+/// Copyright 2014-2016 ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+/// Copyright 2004-2014 triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+/// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+/// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+///
+///     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+///
+/// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+/// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+/// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+/// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+/// limitations under the License.
+///
+/// Copyright holder is ArangoDB GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// @author Jan Steemann
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#ifndef ARANGOD_MMFILES_PATH_BASED_INDEX_H
+#define ARANGOD_MMFILES_PATH_BASED_INDEX_H 1
+
+#include "Basics/Common.h"
+#include "Indexes/Index.h"
+#include "VocBase/vocbase.h"
+#include "VocBase/voc-types.h"
+#include "RocksDBEngine/RocksDBIndex.h"
+
+namespace arangodb {
+namespace aql {
+enum AstNodeType : uint32_t;
+}
+
+class FixedSizeAllocator;
+
+class RocksDBPathBasedIndex : public RocksDBIndex {
+ protected:
+  struct PermutationState {
+    PermutationState(arangodb::aql::AstNodeType type,
+                     arangodb::aql::AstNode const* value,
+                     size_t attributePosition, size_t n)
+        : type(type),
+          value(value),
+          attributePosition(attributePosition),
+          current(0),
+          n(n) {
+      TRI_ASSERT(n > 0);
+    }
+
+    arangodb::aql::AstNode const* getValue() const;
+
+    arangodb::aql::AstNodeType type;
+    arangodb::aql::AstNode const* value;
+    size_t const attributePosition;
+    size_t current;
+    size_t const n;
+  };
+
+ public:
+  RocksDBPathBasedIndex() = delete;
+
+  RocksDBPathBasedIndex(TRI_idx_iid_t, arangodb::LogicalCollection*,
+                 arangodb::velocypack::Slice const&, size_t baseSize, bool allowPartialIndex);
+
+  ~RocksDBPathBasedIndex();
+
+ public:
+
+  /// @brief return the attribute paths
+  std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> const& paths()
+      const {
+    return _paths;
+  }
+
+  /// @brief return the attribute paths, a -1 entry means none is expanding,
+  /// otherwise the non-negative number is the index of the expanding one.
+  std::vector<int> const& expanding() const {
+    return _expanding;
+  }
+
+  bool implicitlyUnique() const override;
+
+ protected:
+  /// @brief helper function to insert a document into any index type
+  template<typename T>
+  int fillElement(std::vector<T*>& elements, 
+          TRI_voc_rid_t revisionId, arangodb::velocypack::Slice const&);
+
+  /// @brief return the number of paths
+  inline size_t numPaths() const { return _paths.size(); }
+
+ private:
+
+  /// @brief helper function to transform AttributeNames into string lists
+  void fillPaths(std::vector<std::vector<std::string>>& paths,
+                 std::vector<int>& expanding);
+
+  /// @brief helper function to create a set of index combinations to insert
+  std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>> buildIndexValue(VPackSlice const documentSlice);
+
+  /// @brief helper function to create a set of index combinations to insert
+  void buildIndexValues(VPackSlice const document, size_t level,
+                        std::vector<std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>>>& toInsert,
+                        std::vector<std::pair<VPackSlice, uint32_t>>& sliceStack);
+
+ protected:
+  std::unique_ptr<FixedSizeAllocator> _allocator;
+
+  /// @brief the attribute paths
+  std::vector<std::vector<std::string>> _paths;
+
+  /// @brief ... and which of them expands
+  std::vector<int> _expanding;
+
+  /// @brief whether or not at least one attribute is expanded
+  bool _useExpansion;
+
+  /// @brief whether or not partial indexing is allowed
+  bool _allowPartialIndex;
+};
+}
+
+#endif