diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/explorer/target_os b/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/explorer/target_os
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..f235710a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/explorer/target_os
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 2010-2011 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+# 2014 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/>.
+#
+#
+# All os variables are lower case.  Keep this file in alphabetical
+# order by os variable except in cases where order otherwise matters,
+# in which case keep the primary os and its derivatives together in
+# a block (see Debian and Redhat examples below).
+#
+
+chroot="$(cat "$__object/parameter/chroot")"
+
+if grep -q ^Amazon "$chroot/etc/system-release" 2>/dev/null; then
+   echo amazon
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/arch-release" ]; then
+   echo archlinux
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/cdist-preos" ]; then
+   echo cdist-preos
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+### Debian and derivatives
+if grep -q ^DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu "$chroot/etc/lsb-release" 2>/dev/null; then
+   echo ubuntu
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/debian_version" ]; then
+   echo debian
+   exit 0
+fi
+###
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/gentoo-release" ]; then
+   echo gentoo
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/openwrt_version" ]; then
+    echo openwrt
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/owl-release" ]; then
+   echo owl
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+### Redhat and derivatives
+if grep -q ^CentOS "$chroot/etc/redhat-release" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo centos
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if grep -q ^Fedora "$chroot/etc/redhat-release" 2>/dev/null; then
+   echo fedora
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/redhat-release" ]; then
+   echo redhat
+   exit 0
+fi
+###
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/SuSE-release" ]; then
+   echo suse
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -f "$chroot/etc/slackware-version" ]; then
+   echo slackware
+   exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "Unknown OS" >&2
+exit 1
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/gencode-remote
index ed57331a..24a132ea 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/gencode-remote
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
-# 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2011-2014 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,52 +18,74 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-device="$(cat "$__object/parameter/device")"
+device="$(cat "$__object/parameter/device" 2>/dev/null || echo "/$__object_id")"
 chroot="$(cat "$__object/parameter/chroot")"
 
+target_os=$(cat "$__object/explorer/target_os")
 
-cat << DONE
-os=\$(
-if grep -q ^DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu ${chroot}/etc/lsb-release 2>/dev/null; then
-   echo ubuntu
-   exit 0
-fi
-
-if [ -f ${chroot}/etc/arch-release ]; then
-   echo archlinux
-   exit 0
-fi
-
-if [ -f ${chroot}/etc/debian_version ]; then
-   echo debian
-   exit 0
-fi
-)
-
-# Ensure /tmp exists
-[ -d "${chroot}/tmp" ] || mkdir -m 1777 "${chroot}/tmp"
-# Generate script to run in chroot
-script=\$(mktemp "${chroot}/tmp/__install_bootloader_grub.XXXXXXXXXX")
+mkdir "$__object/files"
+install_script="$__object/files/install_script"
 # Link file descriptor #6 with stdout
 exec 6>&1
-# Link stdout with \$script
-exec > \$script
+# Link stdout with $install_script
+exec > $install_script
 
-echo "#!/bin/sh -l"
-echo "grub-install $device"
-case \$os in
+# Generate script to install bootloader on distro
+printf '#!/bin/sh -l\n'
+printf 'grub-install "%s"\n' "$device"
+
+case "$target_os" in
+   ubuntu|debian)
+      printf 'update-grub\n'
+   ;;
    archlinux)
       # bugfix/workarround: rebuild initramfs
       # FIXME: doesn't belong here
-      echo "mkinitcpio -p linux"
-      echo "grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg"
+      printf 'mkinitcpio -p linux\n'
+      printf 'grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg\n'
+   ;;
+   centos)
+      cat << centos_DONE
+(
+printf '# Generated by cdist ${__type##*/}'
+printf 'default=0'
+printf 'timeout=3'
+for kernel in \$(find /boot -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 2  -name "vmlinuz-*"); do
+   kernel_version="\${kernel#*-}"
+   initramfs="\$(echo "\$kernel" | sed 's|/boot/vmlinuz-|/boot/initramfs-|').img"
+   root_device="\$(awk '\$2 == "/" {print \$1}' /etc/fstab)"
+   cat << centos_entry_DONE
+title \$(cat /etc/redhat-release) (\$kernel_version)
+   # root is assumed to be on the first partition
+   root (hd0,0)
+   kernel \$kernel ro root=\$root_device norhgb noquiet
+   initrd \$initramfs
+centos_entry_DONE
+done
+) > /boot/grub/grub.conf
+cd /boot/grub
+ln -sf grub.conf menu.lst
+centos_DONE
+   ;;
+   *)
+      echo "Your operating system ($os) is currently not supported by this type (${__type##*/})." >&2
+      echo "If you can, please contribute an implementation for it." >&2
+      exit 1
    ;;
-   ubuntu|debian) echo "update-grub" ;;
 esac
-
 # Restore stdout and close file descriptor #6.
 exec 1>&6 6>&-
 
+
+cat << DONE
+# Ensure /tmp exists
+[ -d "${chroot}/tmp" ] || mkdir -m 1777 "${chroot}/tmp"
+# Generate script to run in chroot
+script=\$(mktemp "${chroot}/tmp/${__type##*/}.XXXXXXXXXX")
+cat > \$script << script_DONE
+$(cat "$install_script")
+script_DONE
+
 # Make script executable
 chmod +x "\$script"
 
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/parameter/default/chroot b/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/parameter/default/chroot
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea8c4bf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__install_bootloader_grub/parameter/default/chroot
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/target