diff --git a/lib/cdist/core/manifest.py b/lib/cdist/core/manifest.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f9fc7ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/core/manifest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# -*- 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 logging
+import os
+
+import cdist
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+'''
+common:
+    runs only locally, does not need remote
+
+    env:
+        PATH: prepend directory with type emulator symlinks == local.bin_path
+        __target_host: the target host we are working on
+        __global: full qualified path to the global output dir == local.out_path
+        __cdist_manifest: full qualified path of the manifest == script
+        __cdist_type_base_path: full qualified path to the directory where types are defined for use in type emulator
+            == local.type_base_path
+
+initial manifest is:
+    script: full qualified path to the initial manifest
+
+    env:
+        __manifest: path to .../conf/manifest/ == local.manifest_path
+
+    creates: new objects through type emulator
+
+type manifeste is:
+    script: full qualified path to the type manifest
+
+    env:
+        __object: full qualified path to the object's dir
+        __object_id: the objects id
+        __object_fq: full qualified object id, iow: $type.name + / + object_id
+        __type: full qualified path to the type's dir
+
+    creates: new objects through type emulator
+'''
+
+
+class Manifest(object):
+    """Represents a cdist manifest.
+
+    """
+    def __init__(self, target_host, local):
+        self.target_host = target_host
+        self.local = local
+        self.env = {
+            'PATH': "%s:%s" % (self.local.bin_path, os.environ['PATH']),
+            '__target_host': self.target_host,
+            '__global': self.local.out_path,
+            '__cdist_type_base_path': self.local.type_base_path, # for use in type emulator
+        }
+
+    def run_initial_manifest(self, script):
+        env = os.environ.copy()
+        env.update(self.env)
+        env['__manifest'] = self.local.manifest_path
+        return self.local.run_script(script, env=env)
+
+    def run_type_manifest(self, cdist_object):
+        env = os.environ.copy()
+        env.update(self.env)
+        env.update({
+            '__object': cdist_object.absolute_path,
+            '__object_id': cdist_object.object_id,
+            '__object_fq': cdist_object.path,
+            '__type': cdist_object.type.absolute_path,
+        })
+        script = os.path.join(self.local.type_base_path, cdist_object.type.manifest_path)
+        return self.local.run_script(script, env=env)
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/__init__.py b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8fcb5d79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# -*- 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
+from cdist import core
+from cdist.core import manifest
+
+import os.path as op
+my_dir = op.abspath(op.dirname(__file__))
+fixtures = op.join(my_dir, 'fixtures')
+local_base_path = fixtures
+
+
+class ManifestTestCase(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)
+        self.local.create_directories()
+        self.local.link_emulator(cdist.test.cdist_exec_path)
+        self.manifest = manifest.Manifest(target_host, self.local)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        #shutil.rmtree(self.temp_dir)
+        pass
+
+    def test_initial_manifest_environment(self):
+        #initial_manifest = os.path.join(self.local.manifest_path, "init")
+        initial_manifest = os.path.join(self.local.manifest_path, "dump_environment")
+        output_string = self.manifest.run_initial_manifest(initial_manifest)
+        output_dict = {}
+        for line in output_string.split('\n'):
+            if line:
+                key,value = line.split(': ')
+                output_dict[key] = value
+        self.assertTrue(output_dict['PATH'].startswith(self.local.bin_path))
+        self.assertEqual(output_dict['__target_host'], self.local.target_host)
+        self.assertEqual(output_dict['__global'], self.local.out_path)
+        self.assertEqual(output_dict['__cdist_type_base_path'], self.local.type_base_path)
+        self.assertEqual(output_dict['__manifest'], self.local.manifest_path)
+        
+        
+#        for line in output.split('\n'):
+#            print(line)
+
+#    def test_type_manifest(self):
+#        cdist_type = core.Type(self.local.type_base_path, '__moon')
+#        cdist_object = core.Object(cdist_type, self.local.object_base_path, 'Saturn')
+#        self.manifest.run_type_manifest(cdist_object)
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/manifest/dump_environment b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/manifest/dump_environment
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..1abe7755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/manifest/dump_environment
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "PATH: $PATH"
+echo "__target_host: $__target_host"
+echo "__global: $__global"
+echo "__cdist_type_base_path: $__cdist_type_base_path"
+echo "__manifest: $__manifest"
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/manifest/init b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/manifest/init
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..0bdb391a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/manifest/init
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+__planet Saturn
+__moon Prometheus --planet Saturn
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/.keep b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/.keep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/manifest b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/manifest
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..362be5a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/manifest
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/name" ]; then
+   name="(cat "$__object/parameter/name")"
+else
+   name="$__object_id"
+   echo "$name" > "$__object/parameter/name"
+fi
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/parameter/optional b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/parameter/optional
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f121bdbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/parameter/optional
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+name
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/parameter/required b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/parameter/required
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..729a5167
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__moon/parameter/required
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+planet
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/.keep b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/.keep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/manifest b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/manifest
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..362be5a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/manifest
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/name" ]; then
+   name="(cat "$__object/parameter/name")"
+else
+   name="$__object_id"
+   echo "$name" > "$__object/parameter/name"
+fi
diff --git a/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/parameter/optional b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/parameter/optional
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f121bdbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cdist/test/manifest/fixtures/conf/type/__planet/parameter/optional
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+name