diff --git a/bin/cdist-config b/bin/cdist-config
index 3e474331..c1179b0d 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-config
+++ b/bin/cdist-config
@@ -35,15 +35,16 @@ set -u
 : ${__cdist_name_gencode:=gencode}
 : ${__cdist_name_host:=hosts}
 : ${__cdist_name_init:=init}
+: ${__cdist_name_manifest:=manifest}
+: ${__cdist_name_manifest_dir:=manifests}
 : ${__cdist_name_out_dir:=out}
 : ${__cdist_name_conf_dir:=conf}
 : ${__cdist_name_type_bin:=type_bin}
 
-# Exported variable names
+# Exported variable names (usable for non core)
 : ${__cdist_name_var_explorer:=__$__cdist_name_explorer}
+: ${__cdist_name_var_manifest:=__$__cdist_name_manifest_dir}
 
-# Name of the manifest file in types
-: ${__cdist_name_manifest:=manifest}
 
 # Name of the base directory containing the initial manifests
 : ${__cdist_name_manifests:=manifests}
diff --git a/bin/cdist-deploy-to b/bin/cdist-deploy-to
index 88b7aaf9..9c042c41 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-deploy-to
+++ b/bin/cdist-deploy-to
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ cdist-bin-transfer            "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_remote_bin_dir"
 cdist-explorer-run-init       "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_out_explorer_dir"
 
 # Create initial object base
-cdist-manifest-init           "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_out_object_dir"
+cdist-manifest-run-init       "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_out_object_dir"
 
 # Create dependent objects - BUG: does not abort on error in manifest!!!!
 cdist-manifest-run-all        "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_out_object_dir"
diff --git a/bin/cdist-manifest-run b/bin/cdist-manifest-run
index 5ed2c4fe..367ac96f 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-manifest-run
+++ b/bin/cdist-manifest-run
@@ -23,14 +23,16 @@
 #
 
 . cdist-config
-[ $# -ge 4 ] || __cdist_usage "<target host> <work dir> <manifest> <out dir> [manifest arguments]"
+[ $# -ge 3 ] || __cdist_usage "<target host> <manifest> <out dir> [manifest arguments]"
 set -u
 
 __cdist_target_host="$1"; shift
-__cdist_work_dir="$1"; shift
 __cdist_manifest="$1"; shift
 __cdist_output_dir="$1"; shift
 
+# Always start from local base
+__cdist_work_dir="$__cdist_local_base_dir"
+
 # Ensure binaries exist and are up-to-date
 cdist-type-build-emulation || __cdist_exit_err "Failed to build type emulation binaries"
 
diff --git a/bin/cdist-manifest-run-all b/bin/cdist-manifest-run-all
index 5d21b70c..5e58a205 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-manifest-run-all
+++ b/bin/cdist-manifest-run-all
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ while [ "$__cdist_new_objects_created" = "y"  ]; do
          __cdist_type="$(__cdist_type_from_object "$__cdist_object")"
          __cdist_manifest="$__cdist_type_dir/${__cdist_type}/${__cdist_name_manifest}"
 
+         # Make __cdist_manifest available for cdist-type-emulator
+         export __cdist_manifest
+
          if [ -x "${__cdist_manifest}" ]; then
             echo "Executing manifest ${__cdist_manifest} ..."
 
diff --git a/bin/cdist-manifest-run-init b/bin/cdist-manifest-run-init
index 9e8a346f..79329252 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-manifest-run-init
+++ b/bin/cdist-manifest-run-init
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@
 [ $# -eq 2 ] || __cdist_usage "<target host> <outdir>"
 set -e
 
-export __cdist_target_host="$1"; shift
-export __cdist_output_dir="$1"; shift
+__cdist_target_host="$1"; shift
+__cdist_output_dir="$1"; shift
 
-cdist-manifest-run "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_local_base_dir" \
-   "$__cdist_manifest_init" "$__cdist_output_dir"
+eval export $__cdist_name_var_manifest=\"\$__cdist_manifest_dir\"
+
+cdist-manifest-run "$__cdist_target_host" "$__cdist_manifest_init" "$__cdist_output_dir"
diff --git a/conf/manifests/init b/conf/manifests/init
index 20714bad..736985fe 100755
--- a/conf/manifests/init
+++ b/conf/manifests/init
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 # This is a sample manifest, but used in real world
 #
 
+echo $__manifests
+
 # All systems get a file /etc/cdist-managed, so the sysadmin knows
 # who manages the configuration.
 #__file /etc/cdist-managed --type file
diff --git a/doc/dev/todo/niconext b/doc/dev/todo/niconext
index 6b263955..21b3883a 100644
--- a/doc/dev/todo/niconext
+++ b/doc/dev/todo/niconext
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 add explorers per type/object
    - change exec directory for all stages
       - create cdist-remote-explorer-run that sets
+      - iterate over all stages again
+      - ensure discussed variables are in place