diff --git a/bin/cdist b/bin/cdist
index 766a2acf..594b5eea 100755
--- a/bin/cdist
+++ b/bin/cdist
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 #
 # 2010-2011 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
 #
@@ -96,11 +97,23 @@ class Cdist:
       log.error(args)
       sys.exit(1)
 
-   def run_or_fail(self,*args, **kargs):
+   def shell_run_or_debug_fail(self, script, *args, **kargs):
+      kargs['shell'] = True
+      log.debug("Shell exec: " + " ".join(*args))
+
+      try:
+         subprocess.check_call(*args, **kargs)
+      except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+         # FIXME: print out shell script!
+         script_fd = open(script)
+         log.error("Code that raised the error:\n" + script_fd.read())
+         script_fd.close()
+         self.exit_error("Non-Zero exit code exit of " + " ".join(*args))
+
+   def run_or_fail(self, *args, **kargs):
       # newargs = ["echo"]
       newargs = []
       newargs.extend(*args)
-      print(newargs)
 
       try:
          subprocess.check_call(newargs, **kargs)
@@ -165,15 +178,18 @@ class Cdist:
    #   # Link configuraion source directory - consistent with remote
    #   run_or_fail(["ln -sf", "$__cdist_conf_dir", "$__cdist_local_base_dir/$__cdist_name_conf_dir"])
 
-   def initial_manifes(self):
+   def run_initial_manifest(self):
       """Run the initial manifest"""
+      log.info("Running the initial manifest")
+      self.shell_run_or_debug_fail(self.initial_manifest, [self.initial_manifest])
+
 
    def deploy_to(self):
       """Mimic the old deploy to: Deploy to one host"""
       log.info("Deploying to host " + self.hostname)
       self.init_deploy()
       self.global_explore()
-      self.initial_manifest()
+      self.run_initial_manifest()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":