diff --git a/cpp/Key.h b/cpp/Key.h
index 89113a0c2..f9ae51604 100644
--- a/cpp/Key.h
+++ b/cpp/Key.h
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
 	public:
 
+		// typedefs
+		typedef T Value_t;
+
 		// Constructors:
 
 		TypedSymbol():j_(0) {}
diff --git a/cpp/TupleConfig.h b/cpp/TupleConfig.h
index 16b11ba50..6f026f1f6 100644
--- a/cpp/TupleConfig.h
+++ b/cpp/TupleConfig.h
@@ -141,4 +141,100 @@ namespace gtsam {
   template<class J1, class X1, class J2, class X2>
   inline VectorConfig logmap(const PairConfig<J1,X1,J2,X2> c0, const PairConfig<J1,X1,J2,X2>& cp) { return c0.logmap(cp); }
 
+
+  /**
+   *  Tuple configs to handle subconfigs of LieConfigs
+   *
+   *  This uses a recursive structure of config pairs to form a lisp-like
+   *  list, with a special case (TupleConfigEnd) that contains only one config
+   *  at the end.  In a final use case, this should be aliased to something clearer
+   *  but still with the same recursive type machinery.
+   *
+   *  STILL UNDER TESTING - DO NOT USE
+   */
+  template<class Config1, class Config2>
+  class TupleConfig : public Testable<TupleConfig<Config1, Config2> > {
+
+  protected:
+	  // Data for internal configs
+	  Config1 first_;
+	  Config2 second_;
+
+  public:
+	  // typedefs
+	  typedef class Config1::Key Key1;
+	  typedef class Config1::Value Value1;
+
+  public:
+	  TupleConfig() {}
+	  virtual ~TupleConfig() {}
+
+	  /** Print */
+	  void print(const std::string& s = "") const {}
+
+	  /** Test for equality in keys and values */
+	  bool equals(const TupleConfig<Config1, Config2>& c, double tol=1e-9) const {
+		  return false;
+	  }
+
+	  // insert function that uses the second (recursive) config
+	  template<class Key, class Value>
+	  void insert(const Key& key, const Value& value) {second_.insert(key, value);}
+	  void insert(const Key1& key, const Value1& value) {first_.insert(key, value);}
+
+	  // erase an element by key
+	  template<class Key>
+	  void erase(const Key& j)  {  }
+	  void erase(const Key1& j)  {  }
+
+	  // determine whether an element exists
+	  template<class Key>
+	  bool exists(const Key& j) const { return second_.exists(j); }
+	  bool exists(const Key1& j) const { return first_.exists(j); }
+
+	  // access operator - currently configs after the first one will not be found
+	  template<class Key, class Value>
+	  const Value& operator[](const Key& j) const { return second_[j]; }
+	  const Value1& operator[](const Key1& j) const { return first_[j]; }
+
+	  template<class Key, class Value>
+	  const Value& at(const Key& j) const { return second_.at(j); }
+	  const Value1& at(const Key1& j) const { return first_.at(j); }
+
+  };
+
+  template<class Config>
+  class TupleConfigEnd : public Testable<TupleConfigEnd<Config> > {
+  protected:
+	  // Data for internal configs
+	  Config first_;
+
+  public:
+	  // typedefs
+	  typedef class Config::Key Key1;
+	  typedef class Config::Value Value1;
+
+  public:
+	  TupleConfigEnd() {}
+	  virtual ~TupleConfigEnd() {}
+
+	  /** Print */
+	  void print(const std::string& s = "") const {}
+
+	  /** Test for equality in keys and values */
+	  bool equals(const TupleConfigEnd<Config>& c, double tol=1e-9) const {
+		  return false;
+	  }
+
+	  void insert(const Key1& key, const Value1& value) {first_.insert(key, value); }
+
+	  const Value1& operator[](const Key1& j) const { return first_[j]; }
+
+	  void erase(const Key1& j) {  }
+
+	  bool exists(const Key1& j) const { return first_.exists(j); }
+
+	  const Value1& at(const Key1& j) const { return first_.at(j); }
+
+  };
 }
diff --git a/cpp/testTupleConfig.cpp b/cpp/testTupleConfig.cpp
index 8598fab4e..67d5e5a0a 100644
--- a/cpp/testTupleConfig.cpp
+++ b/cpp/testTupleConfig.cpp
@@ -166,6 +166,66 @@ TEST(PairConfig, expmap)
   CHECK(assert_equal(expected, expmap(cfg1, increment)));
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+
+// some key types
+typedef TypedSymbol<Pose2, 'x'> PoseKey;
+typedef TypedSymbol<Point2, 'l'> PointKey;
+typedef TypedSymbol<Vector, 'L'> LamKey;
+
+// some config types
+typedef LieConfig<PoseKey, Pose2> PoseConfig;
+typedef LieConfig<PointKey, Point2> PointConfig;
+typedef LieConfig<LamKey, Vector> LamConfig;
+
+// some TupleConfig types
+typedef TupleConfig<PoseConfig, TupleConfigEnd<PointConfig> > ConfigA;
+typedef TupleConfig<PoseConfig, TupleConfig<PointConfig, TupleConfigEnd<LamConfig> > > ConfigB;
+
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+TEST(TupleConfig, create_insert) {
+	// create some tuple configs
+	ConfigA configA;
+	ConfigB configB;
+
+	PoseKey x1(1);
+	PointKey l1(1);
+	LamKey L1(1);
+	Pose2 pose1(1.0, 2.0, 0.3);
+	Point2 point1(2.0, 3.0);
+	Vector lam1 = Vector_(1, 2.3);
+
+	// Insert
+	configA.insert(x1, pose1);
+	configA.insert(l1, point1);
+
+	configB.insert(x1, pose1);
+	configB.insert(l1, point1);
+	configB.insert(L1, lam1);
+
+	// bracket operator - FAILS on config types after first one
+	CHECK(assert_equal(configA[x1], pose1));
+//	CHECK(assert_equal(configA[l1], point1));
+	CHECK(assert_equal(configB[x1], pose1));
+//	CHECK(assert_equal(configB[l1], point1));
+//	CHECK(assert_equal(configB[L1], lam1));
+
+	// exists
+	CHECK(configA.exists(x1));
+	CHECK(configA.exists(l1));
+	CHECK(configB.exists(x1));
+	CHECK(configB.exists(l1));
+	CHECK(configB.exists(L1));
+
+	// at - access function - FAILS as with bracket operator
+	CHECK(assert_equal(configA.at(x1), pose1));
+//	CHECK(assert_equal(configA.at(l1), point1));
+	CHECK(assert_equal(configB.at(x1), pose1));
+//	CHECK(assert_equal(configB.at(l1), point1));
+//	CHECK(assert_equal(configB.at(L1), lam1));
+}
+
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 int main() { TestResult tr; return TestRegistry::runAllTests(tr); }
 /* ************************************************************************* */