diff --git a/include/rcutils/filesystem.h b/include/rcutils/filesystem.h
index 730f878c..8b802715 100644
--- a/include/rcutils/filesystem.h
+++ b/include/rcutils/filesystem.h
@@ -243,6 +243,54 @@ RCUTILS_PUBLIC
 size_t
 rcutils_get_file_size(const char * file_path);
 
+/// An iterator used for enumerating directory contents
+typedef struct rcutils_dir_iter_t
+{
+  /// The name of the enumerated file or directory
+  const char * entry_name;
+  /// The allocator used internally by iteration functions
+  rcutils_allocator_t allocator;
+  /// The platform-specific iteration state
+  void * state;
+} rcutils_dir_iter_t;
+
+/// Begin iterating over the contents of the specified directory.
+/*
+ * This function is used to list the files and directories that are contained in
+ * a specified directory. The structure returned by it must be deallocated using
+ * ::rcutils_dir_iter_end when the iteration is completed. The name of the
+ * enumerated entry is stored in the `entry_name` member of the returned object,
+ * and the first entry is already populated upon completion of this function. To
+ * populate the entry with the name of the next entry, use the
+ * ::rcutils_dir_iter_next function. Note that the "." and ".." entries are
+ * typically among the entries enumerated.
+ * \param[in] directory_path The directory path to iterate over the contents of.
+ * \param[in] allocator Allocator used to create the returned structure.
+ * \return An iterator object used to continue iterating directory contents
+ * \return NULL if an error occurred
+ */
+RCUTILS_PUBLIC
+rcutils_dir_iter_t *
+rcutils_dir_iter_start(const char * directory_path, const rcutils_allocator_t allocator);
+
+/// Continue iterating over the contents of a directory.
+/*
+ * \param[in] iter An iterator created by ::rcutils_dir_iter_start.
+ * \return `True` if another entry was found
+ * \return `False` if there are no more entries in the directory
+ */
+RCUTILS_PUBLIC
+bool
+rcutils_dir_iter_next(rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter);
+
+/// Finish iterating over the contents of a directory.
+/*
+ * \param[in] iter An iterator created by ::rcutils_dir_iter_start.
+ */
+RCUTILS_PUBLIC
+void
+rcutils_dir_iter_end(rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/filesystem.c b/src/filesystem.c
index a17b0627..0ab70773 100644
--- a/src/filesystem.c
+++ b/src/filesystem.c
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ extern "C"
 # define RCUTILS_PATH_DELIMITER "/"
 #endif  // _WIN32
 
+typedef struct rcutils_dir_iter_state_t
+{
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  HANDLE handle;
+  WIN32_FIND_DATA data;
+#else
+  DIR * dir;
+#endif
+} rcutils_dir_iter_state_t;
+
 bool
 rcutils_get_cwd(char * buffer, size_t max_length)
 {
@@ -337,6 +347,7 @@ rcutils_calculate_directory_size_with_recursion(
 {
   dir_list_t * dir_list = NULL;
   rcutils_ret_t ret = RCUTILS_RET_OK;
+  rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter = NULL;
 
   if (NULL == directory_path) {
     RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("directory_path is NULL !");
@@ -370,36 +381,21 @@ rcutils_calculate_directory_size_with_recursion(
 
   *size = 0;
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
-  HANDLE handle = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
-  char * dir_path = NULL;
-
   do {
-    dir_path = rcutils_join_path(dir_list->path, "*", allocator);
-    if (NULL == dir_path) {
-      RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("Failed to duplicate directory path !\n");
-      ret = RCUTILS_RET_BAD_ALLOC;
-      goto fail;
-    }
-
-    WIN32_FIND_DATA data;
-    handle = FindFirstFile(dir_path, &data);
-    if (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE == handle) {
-      RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
-        "Can't open directory %s. Error code: %lu\n", dir_list->path, GetLastError());
+    iter = rcutils_dir_iter_start(dir_list->path, allocator);
+    if (NULL == iter) {
       ret = RCUTILS_RET_ERROR;
       goto fail;
     }
 
     do {
-      ret = check_and_calculate_size(data.cFileName, size, max_depth, dir_list, allocator);
+      ret = check_and_calculate_size(iter->entry_name, size, max_depth, dir_list, allocator);
       if (RCUTILS_RET_OK != ret) {
         goto fail;
       }
-    } while (FindNextFile(handle, &data));
+    } while (rcutils_dir_iter_next(iter));
 
-    FindClose(handle);
-    allocator.deallocate(dir_path, allocator.state);
+    rcutils_dir_iter_end(iter);
 
     remove_first_dir_from_list(&dir_list, allocator);
   } while (dir_list);
@@ -407,52 +403,124 @@ rcutils_calculate_directory_size_with_recursion(
   return ret;
 
 fail:
-  if (NULL != dir_path) {
-    allocator.deallocate(dir_path, allocator.state);
+  rcutils_dir_iter_end(iter);
+  free_dir_list(dir_list, allocator);
+  return ret;
+}
+
+rcutils_dir_iter_t *
+rcutils_dir_iter_start(const char * directory_path, const rcutils_allocator_t allocator)
+{
+  RCUTILS_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(directory_path, NULL);
+  RCUTILS_CHECK_ALLOCATOR_WITH_MSG(
+    &allocator, "allocator is invalid", return NULL);
+
+  rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter = (rcutils_dir_iter_t *)allocator.zero_allocate(
+    1, sizeof(rcutils_dir_iter_t), allocator.state);
+  if (NULL == iter) {
+    return NULL;
   }
+  iter->allocator = allocator;
 
-  if (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE != handle) {
-    FindClose(handle);
+  rcutils_dir_iter_state_t * state = (rcutils_dir_iter_state_t *)allocator.zero_allocate(
+    1, sizeof(rcutils_dir_iter_state_t), allocator.state);
+  if (NULL == state) {
+    RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG(
+      "Failed to allocate memory.\n");
+    goto rcutils_dir_iter_start_fail;
   }
-  free_dir_list(dir_list, allocator);
-  return ret;
-#else
-  DIR * dir = NULL;
+  iter->state = (void *)state;
 
-  struct dirent * entry;
-  do {
-    dir = opendir(dir_list->path);
-    if (NULL == dir) {
-      RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
-        "Can't open directory %s. Error code: %d\n", dir_list->path, errno);
-      ret = RCUTILS_RET_ERROR;
-      goto fail;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  char * search_path = rcutils_join_path(directory_path, "*", allocator);
+  if (NULL == search_path) {
+    goto rcutils_dir_iter_start_fail;
+  }
+  state->handle = FindFirstFile(search_path, &state->data);
+  allocator.deallocate(search_path, allocator.state);
+  if (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE == state->handle) {
+    DWORD error = GetLastError();
+    if (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND != error || !rcutils_is_directory(directory_path)) {
+      RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+        "Can't open directory %s. Error code: %d\n", directory_path, error);
+      goto rcutils_dir_iter_start_fail;
     }
+  } else {
+    iter->entry_name = state->data.cFileName;
+  }
+#else
+  state->dir = opendir(directory_path);
+  if (NULL == state->dir) {
+    RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+      "Can't open directory %s. Error code: %d\n", directory_path, errno);
+    goto rcutils_dir_iter_start_fail;
+  }
+
+  errno = 0;
+  struct dirent * entry = readdir(state->dir);
+  if (NULL != entry) {
+    iter->entry_name = entry->d_name;
+  } else if (0 != errno) {
+    RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+      "Can't iterate directory %s. Error code: %d\n", directory_path, errno);
+    goto rcutils_dir_iter_start_fail;
+  }
+#endif
 
-    // Scan in specified path
-    // If found directory, add to dir_list
-    // If found file, calculate file size
-    while (NULL != (entry = readdir(dir))) {
-      ret = check_and_calculate_size(entry->d_name, size, max_depth, dir_list, allocator);
-      if (RCUTILS_RET_OK != ret) {
-        goto fail;
-      }
-    }
+  return iter;
 
-    closedir(dir);
+rcutils_dir_iter_start_fail:
+  rcutils_dir_iter_end(iter);
+  return NULL;
+}
 
-    remove_first_dir_from_list(&dir_list, allocator);
-  } while (dir_list);
+bool
+rcutils_dir_iter_next(rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter)
+{
+  RCUTILS_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(iter, false);
+  rcutils_dir_iter_state_t * state = (rcutils_dir_iter_state_t *)iter->state;
+  RCUTILS_CHECK_FOR_NULL_WITH_MSG(state, "iter is invalid", false);
 
-  return ret;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (FindNextFile(state->handle, &state->data)) {
+    iter->entry_name = state->data.cFileName;
+    return true;
+  }
+  FindClose(state->handle);
+#else
+  struct dirent * entry = readdir(state->dir);
+  if (NULL != entry) {
+    iter->entry_name = entry->d_name;
+    return true;
+  }
+#endif
 
-fail:
-  if (NULL != dir) {
-    closedir(dir);
+  iter->entry_name = NULL;
+  return false;
+}
+
+void
+rcutils_dir_iter_end(rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter)
+{
+  if (NULL == iter) {
+    return;
   }
-  free_dir_list(dir_list, allocator);
-  return ret;
+
+  rcutils_allocator_t allocator = iter->allocator;
+  rcutils_dir_iter_state_t * state = (rcutils_dir_iter_state_t *)iter->state;
+  if (NULL != state) {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    FindClose(state->handle);
+#else
+    if (NULL != state->dir) {
+      closedir(state->dir);
+    }
 #endif
+
+    allocator.deallocate(state, allocator.state);
+  }
+
+  allocator.deallocate(iter, allocator.state);
 }
 
 size_t
diff --git a/test/test_filesystem.cpp b/test/test_filesystem.cpp
index cfd105a7..e263128a 100644
--- a/test/test_filesystem.cpp
+++ b/test/test_filesystem.cpp
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include <set>
 #include <string>
 
+#include "rcutils/error_handling.h"
 #include "rcutils/filesystem.h"
 #include "rcutils/get_env.h"
 
@@ -456,6 +458,7 @@ TEST_F(TestFilesystemFixture, calculate_directory_size) {
     fs.exhaust_file_descriptors();
     ret = rcutils_calculate_directory_size(path, &size, g_allocator);
     EXPECT_EQ(RCUTILS_RET_ERROR, ret);
+    rcutils_reset_error();
   }
 }
 
@@ -513,6 +516,7 @@ TEST_F(TestFilesystemFixture, calculate_directory_size_with_recursion) {
     fs.exhaust_file_descriptors();
     ret = rcutils_calculate_directory_size_with_recursion(path, 0, &size, g_allocator);
     EXPECT_EQ(RCUTILS_RET_ERROR, ret);
+    rcutils_reset_error();
   }
 }
 
@@ -541,3 +545,59 @@ TEST_F(TestFilesystemFixture, calculate_file_size) {
     g_allocator.deallocate(non_existing_path, g_allocator.state);
   });
 }
+
+TEST_F(TestFilesystemFixture, directory_iterator) {
+  char * path =
+    rcutils_join_path(this->test_path, "dummy_folder", g_allocator);
+  OSRF_TESTING_TOOLS_CPP_SCOPE_EXIT(
+  {
+    g_allocator.deallocate(path, g_allocator.state);
+  });
+
+  std::set<std::string> expected {
+    ".",
+    "..",
+    "dummy.dummy",
+  };
+
+  rcutils_dir_iter_t * iter = rcutils_dir_iter_start(path, g_allocator);
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, iter);
+  OSRF_TESTING_TOOLS_CPP_SCOPE_EXIT(
+  {
+    rcutils_dir_iter_end(iter);
+  });
+
+  do {
+    if (1u != expected.erase(iter->entry_name)) {
+      ADD_FAILURE() << "Unexpected entry '" << iter->entry_name << "' was enumerated";
+    }
+  } while (rcutils_dir_iter_next(iter));
+
+  for (std::string missing : expected) {
+    ADD_FAILURE() << "Expected entry '" << missing << "' was not enumerated";
+  }
+}
+
+TEST_F(TestFilesystemFixture, directory_iterator_non_existing) {
+  char * path =
+    rcutils_join_path(this->test_path, "non_existing_folder", g_allocator);
+  OSRF_TESTING_TOOLS_CPP_SCOPE_EXIT(
+  {
+    g_allocator.deallocate(path, g_allocator.state);
+  });
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, rcutils_dir_iter_start(path, g_allocator));
+  rcutils_reset_error();
+}
+
+TEST_F(TestFilesystemFixture, directory_iterator_on_file) {
+  char * path =
+    rcutils_join_path(this->test_path, "dummy_readable_file.txt", g_allocator);
+  OSRF_TESTING_TOOLS_CPP_SCOPE_EXIT(
+  {
+    g_allocator.deallocate(path, g_allocator.state);
+  });
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, rcutils_dir_iter_start(path, g_allocator));
+  rcutils_reset_error();
+}