diff --git a/bin/cdist-explorer-run b/bin/cdist-explorer-run
index 5654e084..c975c35a 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-explorer-run
+++ b/bin/cdist-explorer-run
@@ -31,5 +31,10 @@ set -ue
 
 __cdist_target_host="$1"; shift
 
+cdist-helper-exec "${__cdist_target_host}" "cdist-explorer-remote-run" "$@"
+
+exit 23
+
+# use this in cdist-helper-exec
 ssh "${__cdist_remote_user}@${__cdist_target_host}"   \
       "${__cdist_remote_helper_dir}/cdist-explorer-remote-run" "$@"
diff --git a/doc/dev/todo/niconext b/doc/dev/todo/niconext
index 82253c4c..d6a7e77e 100644
--- a/doc/dev/todo/niconext
+++ b/doc/dev/todo/niconext
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ add explorers per type/object
       - define paths in cdist-config
    - rewrite cdist-explorer-run
       - define helpers on the remote side (like cdist-explorer-coordinator)
+         - make cdist-config available / put helpers into path