diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index 28cf6047a62..db75e3df018 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ type IpfsNode struct {
 	Routing      routing.IpfsRouting // the routing system. recommend ipfs-dht
 	Exchange     exchange.Interface  // the block exchange + strategy (bitswap)
 	Namesys      namesys.NameSystem  // the name system, resolves paths to hashes
-	Provider     *provider.Provider  // the value provider system
+	Provider     provider.Provider  // the value provider system
 	Reprovider   *rp.Reprovider      // the value reprovider system
 	IpnsRepub    *ipnsrp.Republisher
 
diff --git a/core/coreapi/coreapi.go b/core/coreapi/coreapi.go
index a10af96e933..5045c88eb25 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/coreapi.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/coreapi.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ type CoreAPI struct {
 	namesys namesys.NameSystem
 	routing routing.IpfsRouting
 
-	provider *provider.Provider
+	provider provider.Provider
 
 	pubSub *pubsub.PubSub
 
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ func (api *CoreAPI) WithOptions(opts ...options.ApiOption) (coreiface.CoreAPI, e
 
 		subApi.routing = offlineroute.NewOfflineRouter(subApi.repo.Datastore(), subApi.recordValidator)
 		subApi.namesys = namesys.NewNameSystem(subApi.routing, subApi.repo.Datastore(), cs)
+		subApi.provider = provider.NewOfflineProvider()
 
 		subApi.peerstore = nil
 		subApi.peerHost = nil
diff --git a/provider/offline.go b/provider/offline.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f7b9603b92a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/provider/offline.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package provider
+
+import "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+
+type offlineProvider struct {}
+
+func NewOfflineProvider() Provider {
+	return &offlineProvider{}
+}
+
+func (op *offlineProvider) Run() {}
+
+func (op *offlineProvider) Provide(cid cid.Cid) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/provider/provider.go b/provider/provider.go
index e43058b396b..e4ee6d9ffbb 100644
--- a/provider/provider.go
+++ b/provider/provider.go
@@ -18,9 +18,14 @@ const (
 	provideOutgoingWorkerLimit = 8
 )
 
+type Provider interface {
+	Run()
+	Provide(cid.Cid) error
+}
+
 // Provider announces blocks to the network, tracks which blocks are
 // being provided, and untracks blocks when they're no longer in the blockstore.
-type Provider struct {
+type provider struct {
 	ctx context.Context
 	// the CIDs for which provide announcements should be made
 	queue *Queue
@@ -28,8 +33,8 @@ type Provider struct {
 	contentRouting routing.ContentRouting
 }
 
-func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, queue *Queue, contentRouting routing.ContentRouting) *Provider {
-	return &Provider{
+func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, queue *Queue, contentRouting routing.ContentRouting) Provider {
+	return &provider{
 		ctx:            ctx,
 		queue:          queue,
 		contentRouting: contentRouting,
@@ -37,18 +42,18 @@ func NewProvider(ctx context.Context, queue *Queue, contentRouting routing.Conte
 }
 
 // Start workers to handle provide requests.
-func (p *Provider) Run() {
+func (p *provider) Run() {
 	p.queue.Run()
 	p.handleAnnouncements()
 }
 
 // Provide the given cid using specified strategy.
-func (p *Provider) Provide(root cid.Cid) error {
+func (p *provider) Provide(root cid.Cid) error {
 	return p.queue.Enqueue(root)
 }
 
 // Handle all outgoing cids by providing (announcing) them
-func (p *Provider) handleAnnouncements() {
+func (p *provider) handleAnnouncements() {
 	for workers := 0; workers < provideOutgoingWorkerLimit; workers++ {
 		go func() {
 			for {