diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/files/locale.gen b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/files/locale.gen
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf8e8651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/files/locale.gen
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+de_CH.UTF-8 UTF-8
+de_DE.UTF-8 UTF-8
+en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/gencode-remote
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa03b46c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/gencode-remote
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+cat << eof
+
+archive="/usr/lib/locale/locale-archive"
+
+regen=no
+
+if [ -f "$archive" ]; then
+    config_time=\$(stat --format "%Z" /etc/locale.gen)
+    archive_time=\$(stat --format "%Z" \"\$archive\")
+
+    if [ "$config_time" -gt "$archive_time" ]; then
+        regen=yes
+    fi
+else
+    regen=yes
+fi
+    
+if [ "\$regen" = yes ]; then
+    locale-gen
+fi
+
+eof
+
+
+## probably not needed, it seems to be /usr/lib/locale/locale-archive
+## everwhere!
+
+# tmp=\$(mktemp /tmp/cdist.XXXXXXXX)
+# find /usr/lib/locale -mindepth 1 > \$tmp
+# while read archive; do
+#     archive_time=\$(stat --format "%Z" "\$archive\")
+# 
+#     if [ "\$config_time" -gt "\$archive_time" ]; then
+#         regen=yes
+#         break
+#     fi
+# done < "$\tmp"
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/man.text b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/man.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ed4a6d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/man.text
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+cdist-type__locale(7)
+=====================
+Nico Schottelius <nico-cdist--@--schottelius.org>
+
+
+NAME
+----
+cdist-type__locale - Configure locales
+
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+This cdist type allows you to setup the locales.
+
+
+REQUIRED MULTIPLE PARAMETERS
+----------------------------
+name::
+    Specify the locale to be present
+    
+
+OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+state::
+   'present' or 'absent'
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Configure locales en_US and de_CH, both as UTF8
+__locale --name "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" \
+         --name "de_CH.UTF-8 UTF-8" \
+         de_DE.UTF-8 UTF-8  
+
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+- locale(1)
+- cdist-type(7)
+
+
+COPYING
+-------
+Copyright \(C) 2013 Nico Schottelius. Free use of this software is
+granted under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3).
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/manifest b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/manifest
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dd3f0f55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/manifest
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+locales=$(cat "$__object/parameter/name")
+state=$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")
+
+__package locales --state $state
+
+__file /etc/locale.gen \
+    --mode 0644 \
+    --source "$__object/parameter/name"
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/default/state b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/default/state
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7f6134f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/default/state
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+present
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/optional b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/optional
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff72b5c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/optional
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+state
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/required_multiple b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/required_multiple
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f121bdbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/parameter/required_multiple
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+name
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale/singleton b/cdist/conf/type/__locale/singleton
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b