diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/core.hpp b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/core.hpp
index 8cf7b7e27..fbaf13721 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/core.hpp
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/core.hpp
@@ -4620,6 +4620,34 @@ public:
 
 CV_EXPORTS void parallel_for_(const Range& range, const ParallelLoopBody& body);
 
+/////////////////////////// Synchronization Primitives ///////////////////////////////
+
+class CV_EXPORTS Mutex
+{
+public:
+    Mutex();
+    ~Mutex();
+    Mutex(const Mutex& m);
+    Mutex& operator = (const Mutex& m);
+    
+    void lock();
+    bool trylock();
+    void unlock();
+    
+    struct Impl;
+protected:
+    Impl* impl;
+};
+
+class CV_EXPORTS AutoLock
+{
+public:    
+    AutoLock(Mutex& m) : mutex(&m) { mutex->lock(); }
+    ~AutoLock() { mutex->unlock(); }
+protected:    
+    Mutex* mutex;
+};
+
 }
 
 #endif // __cplusplus
diff --git a/modules/core/src/parallel.cpp b/modules/core/src/parallel.cpp
index 4274caf34..3e21417f7 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/parallel.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/src/parallel.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,16 @@
 
 #include "precomp.hpp"
 
+#if !defined HAVE_TBB && !defined HAVE_OPENMP && !defined HAVE_GCD && !defined HAVE_CONCURRENCY
+
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+#define HAVE_GCD
+#elif defined __MSC_VER && __MSC_VER >= 1600
+#define HAVE_CONCURRENCY
+#endif
+
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_CONCURRENCY
 #  include <ppl.h>
 #elif defined HAVE_OPENMP
diff --git a/modules/core/src/system.cpp b/modules/core/src/system.cpp
index 42bf6593d..e1d57ef8c 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/system.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/src/system.cpp
@@ -930,4 +930,104 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain( HINSTANCE, DWORD  fdwReason, LPVOID )
 }
 #endif
 
+namespace cv
+{
+
+#if defined WIN32 || defined _WIN32 || defined WINCE
+
+struct Mutex::Impl
+{
+    Impl() { InitializeCriticalSection(&cs); refcount = 1; }
+    ~Impl() { DeleteCriticalSection(&cs); }
+    
+    void lock() { EnterCriticalSection(&cs); }
+    bool trylock() { return TryEnterCriticalSection(&cs) != 0; }
+    void unlock() { LeaveCriticalSection(&cs); }
+    
+    CRITICAL_SECTION cs;
+    int refcount;
+};
+
+#elif defined __APPLE__
+
+#include <libkern/OSAtomic.h>
+
+struct Mutex::Impl
+{
+    Impl() { sl = OS_SPINLOCK_INIT; refcount = 1; }
+    ~Impl() {}
+    
+    void lock() { OSSpinLockLock(&sl); }
+    bool trylock() { return OSSpinLockTry(&sl); }
+    void unlock() { OSSpinLockUnlock(&sl); }
+    
+    OSSpinLock sl;
+    int refcount;
+};
+
+#elif defined __linux__
+
+struct Mutex::Impl
+{
+    Impl() { pthread_spin_init(&sl, 0); refcount = 1; }
+    ~Impl() { pthread_spin_destroy(&sl); }
+    
+    void lock() { pthread_spin_lock(&sl); }
+    bool trylock() { return pthread_spin_trylock(&sl) == 0; }
+    void unlock() { pthread_spin_unlock(&sl); }
+    
+    pthread_spinlock_t sl;
+    int refcount;
+};
+
+#else
+
+struct Mutex::Impl
+{
+    Impl() { pthread_mutex_init(&sl, 0); refcount = 1; }
+    ~Impl() { pthread_mutex_destroy(&sl); }
+    
+    void lock() { pthread_mutex_lock(&sl); }
+    bool trylock() { return pthread_mutex_trylock(&sl) == 0; }
+    void unlock() { pthread_mutex_unlock(&sl); }
+    
+    pthread_mutex_t sl;
+    int refcount;
+};
+
+#endif
+
+Mutex::Mutex()
+{
+    impl = new Mutex::Impl;
+}
+    
+Mutex::~Mutex()
+{
+    if( CV_XADD(&impl->refcount, -1) == 1 )
+        delete impl;
+    impl = 0;
+}
+    
+Mutex::Mutex(const Mutex& m)
+{
+    impl = m.impl;
+    CV_XADD(&impl->refcount, 1);
+}
+
+Mutex& Mutex::operator = (const Mutex& m)
+{
+    CV_XADD(&m.impl->refcount, 1);
+    if( CV_XADD(&impl->refcount, -1) == 1 )
+        delete impl;
+    impl = m.impl;
+    return *this;
+}
+    
+void Mutex::lock() { impl->lock(); }
+void Mutex::unlock() { impl->unlock(); }
+bool Mutex::trylock() { return impl->trylock(); }    
+
+}
+
 /* End of file. */
\ No newline at end of file