diff --git a/conf/type/__apt_update_index/gencode-remote b/conf/type/__apt_update_index/gencode-remote
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..ad2296df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__apt_update_index/gencode-remote
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+#
+# This file is part of cdist.
+#
+# cdist is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cdist is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+
+# BIG FAT FIXME: there must be a better way to do this!
+tmpdir=$(mktemp -d)
+cleanup() {
+   rm -rf "$tmpdir"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+should="$tmpdir/should"
+is="$tmpdir/is"
+
+find "$__global/object/__apt_ppa" -path "*.cdist/parameter/state" | xargs cat > "$should"
+find "$__global/object/__apt_ppa" -path "*.cdist/explorer/state" | xargs cat > "$is"
+
+diff -ru "$is" "$should" || echo apt-get update
+
diff --git a/conf/type/__apt_update_index/man.text b/conf/type/__apt_update_index/man.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dffba372
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__apt_update_index/man.text
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+cdist-type__apt_update_index(7)
+==========================
+Steven Armstrong <steven-cdist--@--armstrong.cc>
+
+
+NAME
+----
+cdist-type__apt_update_index - resynchronize the apt package index
+
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+This cdist type allows you to resynchronize the package index files from their
+sources. In other words, it runs `apt-get update`.
+
+FIXME: currently hard coded to work together with the __apt_ppa type
+
+
+REQUIRED PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+None.
+
+OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+None.
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+__apt_update_index
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+- cdist-type(7)
+
+
+COPYING
+-------
+Copyright \(C) 2011 Steven Armstrong. Free use of this software is
+granted under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3).
diff --git a/conf/type/__apt_update_index/singleton b/conf/type/__apt_update_index/singleton
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b