diff --git a/flink-contrib/pom.xml b/flink-contrib/pom.xml
index 30cadfa816b44c627eba66a1a474112e7ddcb800..644f2990d6a6a22ca14cc7fefe2af7ed0df7d3e3 100644
--- a/flink-contrib/pom.xml
+++ b/flink-contrib/pom.xml
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ under the License.
 		<module>flink-storm</module>
 		<module>flink-storm-examples</module>
 		<module>flink-connector-wikiedits</module>
-		<module>flink-statebackend-rocksdb</module>
 	</modules>
 
 	<dependencies>
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/pom.xml b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/pom.xml
similarity index 91%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/pom.xml
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/pom.xml
index f9a4910503703e12921277ee075a6c6324d54851..16416c6593f9957f32808b9967f7e0db8240a1a9 100644
--- a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/pom.xml
+++ b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/pom.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ under the License.
 
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.apache.flink</groupId>
-		<artifactId>flink-contrib</artifactId>
+		<artifactId>flink-state-backends</artifactId>
 		<version>1.5-SNAPSHOT</version>
 		<relativePath>..</relativePath>
 	</parent>
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ under the License.
 
 		<!-- test dependencies -->
 
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.apache.flink</groupId>
+			<artifactId>flink-test-utils-junit</artifactId>
+			<version>${project.version}</version>
+			<scope>test</scope>
+		</dependency>
+
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.apache.flink</groupId>
 			<artifactId>flink-core</artifactId>
@@ -76,7 +83,6 @@ under the License.
 			<type>test-jar</type>
 			<scope>test</scope>
 		</dependency>
-
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.apache.flink</groupId>
 			<artifactId>flink-runtime_${scala.binary.version}</artifactId>
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/AbstractRocksDBState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/AbstractRocksDBState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/AbstractRocksDBState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/AbstractRocksDBState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/OptionsFactory.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/OptionsFactory.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/OptionsFactory.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/OptionsFactory.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/PredefinedOptions.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/PredefinedOptions.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/PredefinedOptions.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/PredefinedOptions.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAggregatingState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAggregatingState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAggregatingState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAggregatingState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBFoldingState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBFoldingState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBFoldingState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBFoldingState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBKeyedStateBackend.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBKeyedStateBackend.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBKeyedStateBackend.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBKeyedStateBackend.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBListState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBListState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBListState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBListState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMapState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMapState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMapState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMapState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBReducingState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBReducingState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBReducingState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBReducingState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackend.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackend.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackend.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackend.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactory.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactory.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactory.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactory.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBValueState.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBValueState.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBValueState.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBValueState.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAsyncSnapshotTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAsyncSnapshotTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAsyncSnapshotTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBAsyncSnapshotTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBInitResetTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBInitResetTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBInitResetTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBInitResetTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMergeIteratorTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMergeIteratorTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMergeIteratorTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBMergeIteratorTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendConfigTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendConfigTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendConfigTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendConfigTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactoryTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactoryTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactoryTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendFactoryTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDBStateBackendTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDbMultiClassLoaderTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDbMultiClassLoaderTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDbMultiClassLoaderTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/RocksDbMultiClassLoaderTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBListStatePerformanceTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBListStatePerformanceTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBListStatePerformanceTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBListStatePerformanceTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBPerformanceTest.java b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBPerformanceTest.java
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBPerformanceTest.java
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/contrib/streaming/state/benchmark/RocksDBPerformanceTest.java
diff --git a/flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/resources/log4j-test.properties b/flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/resources/log4j-test.properties
similarity index 100%
rename from flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/resources/log4j-test.properties
rename to flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb/src/test/resources/log4j-test.properties
diff --git a/flink-state-backends/pom.xml b/flink-state-backends/pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..c02ad84fb2206af6d994824c22906b088be3c3d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flink-state-backends/pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!--
+Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+distributed with this work for additional information
+regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+to you 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.
+
+-->
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
+         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
+
+	<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+
+	<parent>
+		<groupId>org.apache.flink</groupId>
+		<artifactId>flink-parent</artifactId>
+		<version>1.5-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<relativePath>..</relativePath>
+	</parent>
+
+	<artifactId>flink-state-backends</artifactId>
+	<name>flink-state-backends</name>
+
+	<packaging>pom</packaging>
+
+	<modules>
+		<module>flink-statebackend-rocksdb</module>
+	</modules>
+</project>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 9416200105f731d244a47c99bbc364aa77a03ca9..5f0ebb4a00c95df4dbc179b77f520d1ed766443b 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ under the License.
 		<module>flink-tests</module>
 		<module>flink-end-to-end-tests</module>
 		<module>flink-test-utils-parent</module>
+		<module>flink-state-backends</module>
 		<module>flink-libraries</module>
 		<module>flink-scala-shell</module>
 		<module>flink-quickstart</module>
diff --git a/tools/travis_mvn_watchdog.sh b/tools/travis_mvn_watchdog.sh
index 71b4115c5f8cdfb6d3e8d4c6126de2fba7d2298b..82493cec837c151d57109f602c5f8df1d225e9da 100755
--- a/tools/travis_mvn_watchdog.sh
+++ b/tools/travis_mvn_watchdog.sh
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ LOG4J_PROPERTIES=${HERE}/log4j-travis.properties
 
 MODULES_CORE="\
 flink-test-utils-parent/flink-test-utils,\
-flink-contrib/flink-statebackend-rocksdb,\
+flink-state-backends/flink-statebackend-rocksdb,\
 flink-clients,\
 flink-core,\
 flink-java,\