diff --git a/lib/src/archive/entry.rs b/lib/src/archive/entry.rs
index 988f23c2..bb7b544e 100644
--- a/lib/src/archive/entry.rs
+++ b/lib/src/archive/entry.rs
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ mod meta;
 mod name;
 mod options;
 mod read;
+mod reference;
 mod write;
 
-pub use self::{builder::*, header::*, meta::*, name::*, options::*};
+pub use self::{builder::*, header::*, meta::*, name::*, options::*, reference::*};
 use self::{private::*, read::*, write::*};
 use crate::{
     chunk::{
diff --git a/lib/src/archive/entry/reference.rs b/lib/src/archive/entry/reference.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6fcc1a21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/archive/entry/reference.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+use crate::util::try_to_string;
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+use std::path::{Component, Path};
+
+/// A UTF-8 encoded entry reference.
+///
+/// ## Examples
+/// ```
+/// use libpna::EntryReference;
+///
+/// assert_eq!("uer/bin", EntryReference::try_from("uer/bin").unwrap().as_str());
+/// assert_eq!("/user/bin", EntryReference::try_from("/user/bin").unwrap().as_str());
+/// assert_eq!("/user/bin", EntryReference::try_from("/user/bin/").unwrap().as_str());
+/// assert_eq!("../user/bin", EntryReference::try_from("../user/bin/").unwrap().as_str());
+/// assert_eq!("/", EntryReference::try_from("/").unwrap().as_str());
+/// ```
+#[derive(Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Ord, PartialOrd, Hash, Debug)]
+pub struct EntryReference(String);
+
+impl EntryReference {
+    fn new(path: &Path) -> Result<Self, ()> {
+        let has_root = path.has_root();
+        let mut components = path.components();
+        if has_root {
+            components.next();
+        };
+        let p = components
+            .map(|it| match it {
+                Component::Prefix(p) => try_to_string(p.as_os_str()),
+                Component::RootDir => unreachable!(),
+                Component::CurDir => Ok(Cow::from(".")),
+                Component::ParentDir => Ok(Cow::from("..")),
+                Component::Normal(n) => try_to_string(n),
+            })
+            .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()
+            .map_err(|_| ())?;
+        let mut s = p.join("/");
+        if has_root {
+            s.insert(0, '/');
+        };
+        Ok(Self(s))
+    }
+
+    /// Extracts a string slice containing the entire [EntryReference].
+    /// ## Examples
+    /// Basic usage:
+    /// ```
+    /// use libpna::EntryReference;
+    /// let r = EntryReference::try_from("foo").unwrap();
+    ///
+    /// assert_eq!("foo", r.as_str());
+    /// ```
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
+        self.0.as_str()
+    }
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&str> for EntryReference {
+    type Error = ();
+
+    /// ## Examples
+    /// ```
+    /// use libpna::EntryReference;
+    ///
+    /// assert_eq!(EntryReference::try_from("/path/with/root"), EntryReference::try_from("/path/with/root"));
+    /// ```
+    fn try_from(value: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        Self::new(value.as_ref())
+    }
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&Path> for EntryReference {
+    type Error = ();
+
+    /// ## Examples
+    /// ```
+    /// use std::path::Path;
+    /// use libpna::EntryReference;
+    ///
+    /// let p = Path::new("path/to/file");
+    /// assert_eq!(EntryReference::try_from(p), EntryReference::try_from("path/to/file"));
+    /// ```
+    fn try_from(value: &Path) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        Self::new(value)
+    }
+}