diff --git a/fs_mgr/libdm/dm.cpp b/fs_mgr/libdm/dm.cpp
index 9a53fe9..8bd3b9d 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libdm/dm.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/libdm/dm.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@
     io->data_size = ioctl_buffer.size();
     io->data_start = sizeof(struct dm_ioctl);
     io->target_count = static_cast<uint32_t>(table.num_targets());
+    if (table.readonly()) {
+        io->flags |= DM_READONLY_FLAG;
+    }
     if (ioctl(fd_, DM_TABLE_LOAD, io)) {
         PLOG(ERROR) << "DM_TABLE_LOAD failed";
         return false;
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_table.cpp b/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_table.cpp
index 868286e..cb6f210 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_table.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_table.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
 namespace android {
 namespace dm {
 
-bool DmTable::AddTarget(std::unique_ptr<DmTarget>&& /* target */) {
+bool DmTable::AddTarget(std::unique_ptr<DmTarget>&& target) {
+    targets_.push_back(std::move(target));
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -31,6 +32,14 @@
 }
 
 bool DmTable::valid() const {
+    if (targets_.empty()) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Device-mapper table must have at least one target.";
+        return "";
+    }
+    if (targets_[0]->start() != 0) {
+        LOG(ERROR) << "Device-mapper table must start at logical sector 0.";
+        return "";
+    }
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -38,14 +47,22 @@
     return valid() ? num_sectors_ : 0;
 }
 
-// Returns a string represnetation of the table that is ready to be passed
-// down to the kernel for loading
+// Returns a string representation of the table that is ready to be passed
+// down to the kernel for loading.
 //
 // Implementation must verify there are no gaps in the table, table starts
 // with sector == 0, and iterate over each target to get its table
 // serialized.
 std::string DmTable::Serialize() const {
-    return "";
+    if (!valid()) {
+        return "";
+    }
+
+    std::string table;
+    for (const auto& target : targets_) {
+        table += target->Serialize();
+    }
+    return table;
 }
 
 }  // namespace dm
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_target.cpp b/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_target.cpp
index dbe4fed..5934416 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_target.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/libdm/dm_target.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,41 @@
 #include <android-base/logging.h>
 #include <android-base/macros.h>
 
+#include <libdm/dm.h>
+
 namespace android {
-namespace dm {}  // namespace dm
+namespace dm {
+
+std::string DmTarget::Serialize() const {
+    // Create a string containing a dm_target_spec, parameter data, and an
+    // explicit null terminator.
+    std::string data(sizeof(dm_target_spec), '\0');
+    data += GetParameterString();
+    data.push_back('\0');
+
+    // The kernel expects each target to be 8-byte aligned.
+    size_t padding = DM_ALIGN(data.size()) - data.size();
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < padding; i++) {
+        data.push_back('\0');
+    }
+
+    // Finally fill in the dm_target_spec.
+    struct dm_target_spec* spec = reinterpret_cast<struct dm_target_spec*>(&data[0]);
+    spec->sector_start = start();
+    spec->length = size();
+    strlcpy(spec->target_type, name().c_str(), sizeof(spec->target_type));
+    spec->next = (uint32_t)data.size();
+    return data;
+}
+
+std::string DmTargetZero::GetParameterString() const {
+    // The zero target type has no additional parameters.
+    return "";
+}
+
+std::string DmTargetLinear::GetParameterString() const {
+    return block_device_ + " " + std::to_string(physical_sector_);
+}
+
+}  // namespace dm
 }  // namespace android
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_table.h b/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_table.h
index 8a5c624..5c639be 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_table.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_table.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 class DmTable {
   public:
-    DmTable() : num_sectors_(0){};
+    DmTable() : num_sectors_(0), readonly_(false) {}
 
     // Adds a target to the device mapper table for a range specified in the target object.
     // The function will return 'true' if the target was successfully added and doesn't overlap with
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@
     // as part of the DM_TABLE_LOAD ioctl.
     std::string Serialize() const;
 
+    void set_readonly(bool readonly) { readonly_ = readonly; }
+    bool readonly() const { return readonly_; }
+
     ~DmTable() = default;
 
   private:
@@ -70,6 +73,9 @@
     // Total size in terms of # of sectors, as calculated by looking at the last and the first
     // target in 'target_'.
     uint64_t num_sectors_;
+
+    // True if the device should be read-only; false otherwise.
+    bool readonly_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace dm
diff --git a/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_target.h b/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_target.h
index 50902f2..31b6a70 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_target.h
+++ b/fs_mgr/libdm/include/libdm/dm_target.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
     virtual ~DmTarget() = default;
 
     // Returns name of the target.
-    virtual const std::string& name() const = 0;
+    virtual std::string name() const = 0;
 
     // Return the first logical sector represented by this target.
     uint64_t start() const { return start_; }
@@ -67,7 +67,12 @@
     // Function that converts this object to a string of arguments that can
     // be passed to the kernel for adding this target in a table. Each target (e.g. verity, linear)
     // must implement this, for it to be used on a device.
-    virtual std::string Serialize() const = 0;
+    std::string Serialize() const;
+
+  protected:
+    // Get the parameter string that is passed to the end of the dm_target_spec
+    // for this target type.
+    virtual std::string GetParameterString() const = 0;
 
   private:
     // logical sector number start and total length (in terms of 512-byte sectors) represented
@@ -75,6 +80,28 @@
     uint64_t start_, length_;
 };
 
+class DmTargetZero final : public DmTarget {
+  public:
+    DmTargetZero(uint64_t start, uint64_t length) : DmTarget(start, length) {}
+
+    std::string name() const override { return "zero"; }
+    std::string GetParameterString() const override;
+};
+
+class DmTargetLinear final : public DmTarget {
+  public:
+    DmTargetLinear(uint64_t start, uint64_t length, const std::string& block_device,
+                   uint64_t physical_sector)
+        : DmTarget(start, length), block_device_(block_device), physical_sector_(physical_sector) {}
+
+    std::string name() const override { return "linear"; }
+    std::string GetParameterString() const override;
+
+  private:
+    std::string block_device_;
+    uint64_t physical_sector_;
+};
+
 }  // namespace dm
 }  // namespace android
 
diff --git a/fs_mgr/tools/dmctl.cpp b/fs_mgr/tools/dmctl.cpp
index 0478867..c15173f 100644
--- a/fs_mgr/tools/dmctl.cpp
+++ b/fs_mgr/tools/dmctl.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include <android-base/parseint.h>
 #include <android-base/unique_fd.h>
 #include <libdm/dm.h>
 
@@ -30,46 +31,131 @@
 #include <ios>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <map>
+#include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
 using DeviceMapper = ::android::dm::DeviceMapper;
 using DmTable = ::android::dm::DmTable;
 using DmTarget = ::android::dm::DmTarget;
+using DmTargetLinear = ::android::dm::DmTargetLinear;
+using DmTargetZero = ::android::dm::DmTargetZero;
 using DmTargetTypeInfo = ::android::dm::DmTargetTypeInfo;
 using DmBlockDevice = ::android::dm::DeviceMapper::DmBlockDevice;
 
 static int Usage(void) {
     std::cerr << "usage: dmctl <command> [command options]" << std::endl;
     std::cerr << "commands:" << std::endl;
-    std::cerr << "  create <dm-name> [<dm-target> [-lo <filename>] <dm-target-args>]" << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "  create <dm-name> [-ro] <targets...>" << std::endl;
     std::cerr << "  delete <dm-name>" << std::endl;
     std::cerr << "  list <devices | targets>" << std::endl;
     std::cerr << "  help" << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "Target syntax:" << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "  <target_type> <start_sector> <num_sectors> [target_data]" << std::endl;
     return -EINVAL;
 }
 
+class TargetParser final {
+  public:
+    TargetParser(int argc, char** argv) : arg_index_(0), argc_(argc), argv_(argv) {}
+
+    bool More() const { return arg_index_ < argc_; }
+    std::unique_ptr<DmTarget> Next() {
+        if (!HasArgs(3)) {
+            std::cerr << "Expected <target_type> <start_sector> <num_sectors>" << std::endl;
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+
+        std::string target_type = NextArg();
+        uint64_t start_sector, num_sectors;
+        if (!android::base::ParseUint(NextArg(), &start_sector)) {
+            std::cerr << "Expected start sector, got: " << PreviousArg() << std::endl;
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+        if (!android::base::ParseUint(NextArg(), &num_sectors) || !num_sectors) {
+            std::cerr << "Expected non-zero sector count, got: " << PreviousArg() << std::endl;
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+
+        if (target_type == "zero") {
+            return std::make_unique<DmTargetZero>(start_sector, num_sectors);
+        } else if (target_type == "linear") {
+            if (!HasArgs(2)) {
+                std::cerr << "Expected \"linear\" <block_device> <sector>" << std::endl;
+                return nullptr;
+            }
+
+            std::string block_device = NextArg();
+            uint64_t physical_sector;
+            if (!android::base::ParseUint(NextArg(), &physical_sector)) {
+                std::cerr << "Expected sector, got: \"" << PreviousArg() << "\"" << std::endl;
+                return nullptr;
+            }
+            return std::make_unique<DmTargetLinear>(start_sector, num_sectors, block_device,
+                                                    physical_sector);
+        } else {
+            std::cerr << "Unrecognized target type: " << target_type << std::endl;
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+    }
+
+  private:
+    bool HasArgs(int count) { return arg_index_ + count <= argc_; }
+    const char* NextArg() {
+        CHECK(arg_index_ < argc_);
+        return argv_[arg_index_++];
+    }
+    const char* PreviousArg() {
+        CHECK(arg_index_ >= 0);
+        return argv_[arg_index_ - 1];
+    }
+
+  private:
+    int arg_index_;
+    int argc_;
+    char** argv_;
+};
+
 static int DmCreateCmdHandler(int argc, char** argv) {
     if (argc < 1) {
-        std::cerr << "Usage: dmctl create <name> [table-args]" << std::endl;
+        std::cerr << "Usage: dmctl create <dm-name> [-ro] <targets...>" << std::endl;
+        return -EINVAL;
+    }
+    std::string name = argv[0];
+
+    // Parse extended options first.
+    DmTable table;
+    int arg_index = 1;
+    while (arg_index < argc && argv[arg_index][0] == '-') {
+        if (strcmp(argv[arg_index], "-ro") == 0) {
+            table.set_readonly(true);
+        } else {
+            std::cerr << "Unrecognized option: " << argv[arg_index] << std::endl;
+            return -EINVAL;
+        }
+        arg_index++;
+    }
+
+    // Parse everything else as target information.
+    TargetParser parser(argc - arg_index, argv + arg_index);
+    while (parser.More()) {
+        std::unique_ptr<DmTarget> target = parser.Next();
+        if (!target || !table.AddTarget(std::move(target))) {
+            return -EINVAL;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (table.num_targets() == 0) {
+        std::cerr << "Must define at least one target." << std::endl;
         return -EINVAL;
     }
 
-    DmTable table;
-
-    std::string name = argv[0];
     DeviceMapper& dm = DeviceMapper::Instance();
     if (!dm.CreateDevice(name, table)) {
         std::cerr << "Failed to create device-mapper device with name: " << name << std::endl;
         return -EIO;
     }
-
-    // if we also have target specified
-    if (argc > 1) {
-        // fall through for now. This will eventually create a DmTarget() based on the target name
-        // passing it the table that is specified at the command line
-    }
-
     return 0;
 }