diff --git a/verilog/rtl/user_defines.v b/verilog/rtl/user_defines.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c97c0d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/verilog/rtl/user_defines.v
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Efabless Corporation
+//
+// 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.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+`default_nettype none
+
+`ifndef __USER_DEFINES_H
+// User GPIO initial configuration parameters
+`define __USER_DEFINES_H
+
+// deliberately erroneous placeholder value; user required to config GPIO's to other
+`define GPIO_MODE_INVALID                  13'hXXXX
+
+// Authoritive source of these MODE defs is: caravel/verilog/rtl/user_defines.v
+// Useful GPIO mode values.  These match the names used in defs.h.
+//
+`define GPIO_MODE_MGMT_STD_INPUT_NOPULL    13'h0403
+`define GPIO_MODE_MGMT_STD_INPUT_PULLDOWN  13'h0801
+`define GPIO_MODE_MGMT_STD_INPUT_PULLUP    13'h0c01
+`define GPIO_MODE_MGMT_STD_OUTPUT          13'h1809
+`define GPIO_MODE_MGMT_STD_BIDIRECTIONAL   13'h1801
+`define GPIO_MODE_MGMT_STD_ANALOG          13'h000b
+
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_INPUT_NOPULL    13'h0402
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_INPUT_PULLDOWN  13'h0800
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_INPUT_PULLUP    13'h0c00
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_OUTPUT          13'h1808
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_BIDIRECTIONAL   13'h1800
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_OUT_MONITORED   13'h1802
+`define GPIO_MODE_USER_STD_ANALOG          13'h000a
+
+// The power-on configuration for GPIO 0 to 4 is fixed and cannot be
+// modified (allowing the SPI and debug to always be accessible unless
+// overridden by a flash program).
+
+// The values below can be any of the standard types defined above,
+// or they can be any 13-bit value if the user wants a non-standard
+// startup state for the GPIO.  By default, every GPIO from 5 to 37
+// is set to power up as an input controlled by the management SoC.
+// Users may want to redefine these so that the user project powers
+// up in a state that can be used immediately without depending on
+// the management SoC to run a startup program to configure the GPIOs.
+
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_5_INIT  `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_6_INIT  `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_7_INIT  `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_8_INIT  `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_9_INIT  `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_10_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_11_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_12_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_13_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_14_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+
+// Configurations of GPIO 15 to 25 are used on caravel but not caravan.
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_15_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_16_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_17_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_18_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_19_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_20_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_21_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_22_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_23_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_24_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_25_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_26_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_27_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_28_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_29_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_30_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_31_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_32_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_33_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_34_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_35_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_36_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+`define USER_CONFIG_GPIO_37_INIT `GPIO_MODE_INVALID
+
+`endif // __USER_DEFINES_H