diff --git a/lib/cdist/exec/local.py b/lib/cdist/exec/local.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b9c511f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/exec/local.py
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2011 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+#
+# 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/>.
+#
+#
+
+import io
+import os
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import shutil
+import logging
+
+import cdist
+
+
+class LocalScriptError(cdist.Error):
+    def __init__(self, script, command, script_content):
+        self.script = script
+        self.command = command
+        self.script_content = script_content
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "Remote script execution failed: %s %s" % (self.script, self.command)
+
+
+class Local(object):
+    """Execute commands locally.
+
+    All interaction with the local side should be done through this class.
+    Directly accessing the local side from python code is a bug.
+
+    """
+    def __init__(self, target_host, local_base_path, out_path):
+        self.target_host = target_host
+        self.base_path = local_base_path
+
+        # Local input
+        self.cache_path = os.path.join(self.base_path, "cache")
+        self.conf_path = os.path.join(self.base_path, "conf")
+        self.global_explorer_path = os.path.join(self.conf_path, "explorer")
+        self.manifest_path = os.path.join(self.conf_path, "manifest")
+        self.type_base_path = os.path.join(self.conf_path, "type")
+        # FIXME: should not be needed anywhere
+        self.lib_path = os.path.join(self.base_path, "lib")
+
+        # Local output
+        self.out_path = out_path
+        self.bin_path = os.path.join(self.out_path, "bin")
+        self.global_explorer_out_path = os.path.join(self.out_path, "explorer")
+        self.object_base_path = os.path.join(self.out_path, "object")
+
+        self.log = logging.getLogger(self.target_host)
+    
+    def create_directories(self):
+        self.mkdir(self.out_path)
+        self.mkdir(self.bin_path)
+
+    def rmdir(self, path):
+        """Remove directory on the local side."""
+        self.log.debug("Local rmdir: %s", path)
+        shutil.rmtree(path)
+
+    def mkdir(self, path):
+        """Create directory on the local side."""
+        self.log.debug("Local mkdir: %s", path)
+        os.makedirs(path, mode=0o700, exist_ok=True)
+
+    def run(self, command, env=None):
+        """Run the given command with the given environment.
+        Return the output as a string.
+
+        """
+        assert isinstance(command, (list, tuple)), "list or tuple argument expected, got: %s" % command
+        self.log.debug("Local run: %s", command)
+        try:
+            return subprocess.check_output(command, env=env)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            raise cdist.Error("Command failed: " + " ".join(command))
+        except OSError as error:
+            raise cdist.Error(" ".join(*args) + ": " + error.args[1])
+
+    def run_script(self, script, env=None):
+        """Run the given script with the given environment.
+        Return the output as a string.
+
+        """
+        command = ["/bin/sh", "-e"]
+        command.append(script)
+
+        self.log.debug("Local run script: %s", command)
+        if env:
+            self.log.debug("Local run script env: %s", env)
+        
+        try:
+            return subprocess.check_output(command, env=env)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as error:
+            script_content = self.run(["cat", script])
+            self.log.error("Code that raised the error:\n%s", script_content)
+            raise LocalScriptError(script, command, script_content)
+        except EnvironmentError as error:
+            raise cdist.Error(" ".join(command) + ": " + error.args[1])
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/exec/test_local.py b/lib/cdist/test/exec/test_local.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c021404
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/exec/test_local.py
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# 2010-2011 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/>.
+#
+#
+
+import unittest
+import os
+import tempfile
+import getpass
+import shutil
+import string
+import random
+
+#import logging
+#logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG, format='%(levelname)s: %(message)s')
+
+import cdist
+from cdist.exec import local
+
+import os.path as op
+my_dir = op.abspath(op.dirname(__file__))
+fixtures = op.join(my_dir, 'fixtures')
+local_base_path = fixtures
+
+
+class LocalTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def mkdtemp(self, **kwargs):
+        return tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='tmp.cdist.test.', **kwargs)
+
+    def mkstemp(self, **kwargs):
+        return tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='tmp.cdist.test.', **kwargs)
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.temp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+        target_host = 'localhost'
+        out_path = self.temp_dir
+        self.local = local.Local(target_host, local_base_path, out_path)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        #shutil.rmtree(self.temp_dir)
+        pass
+
+    def test_run_success(self):
+        self.local.run(['/bin/true'])
+
+    def test_run_fail(self):
+        self.assertRaises(cdist.Error, self.local.run, ['/bin/false'])
+
+    def test_run_script_success(self):
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        fd = open(script, "w")
+        fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "/bin/true"])
+        fd.close()
+        self.local.run_script(script)
+
+    def test_run_script_fail(self):
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        fd = open(script, "w")
+        fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "/bin/false"])
+        fd.close()
+        self.assertRaises(local.LocalScriptError, self.local.run_script, script)
+
+    def test_run_script_get_output(self):
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        fd = open(script, "w")
+        fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "echo foobar"])
+        fd.close()
+        self.assertEqual(self.local.run_script(script), b"foobar\n")
+
+    def test_mkdir(self):
+        temp_dir = self.mkdtemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        os.rmdir(temp_dir)
+        self.local.mkdir(temp_dir)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(temp_dir))
+
+    def test_rmdir(self):
+        temp_dir = self.mkdtemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        self.local.rmdir(temp_dir)
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.isdir(temp_dir))
+
+    def test_create_directories(self):
+        self.local.create_directories()
+        print('self.local.bin_path: %s' % self.local.bin_path)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(self.local.out_path))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(self.local.bin_path))