diff --git a/doc/dev/todo/steven b/doc/dev/todo/steven
index a4f2dd40..a2a4740e 100644
--- a/doc/dev/todo/steven
+++ b/doc/dev/todo/steven
@@ -8,12 +8,8 @@ Object:
 
    explorer_out_dir
 
+
 Type:
-   explorer_dir
-   remote_explorer_dir
-
-   explorer_remote_dir
-
    type.manifest_path
 
 
diff --git a/lib/cdist/core/property.py b/lib/cdist/core/property.py
index 790ff802..30887547 100644
--- a/lib/cdist/core/property.py
+++ b/lib/cdist/core/property.py
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ class FileList(collections.MutableSequence):
     def __init__(self, path, initial=None):
         self._path = path
         if initial:
+            # delete existing file
+            os.unlink(self._path)
             for i in initial:
                 self.append(i)
 
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ class FileList(collections.MutableSequence):
         try:
             with open(self._path) as fd:
                 for line in fd:
-                    lines.append(line.strip())
+                    lines.append(line.rstrip('\n'))
         except EnvironmentError as e:
             # error ignored
             pass
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ class FileList(collections.MutableSequence):
         try:
             with open(self._path, 'w') as fd:
                 for line in lines:
-                    fd.write(line + '\n')
+                    fd.write(str(line) + '\n')
         except EnvironmentError as e:
             # error ignored
             raise
@@ -80,6 +82,26 @@ class FileList(collections.MutableSequence):
         lines.insert(index, value)
         self.__write(lines)
 
+    def sort(self):
+        lines = sorted(self)
+        self.__write(lines)
+
+
+class FileListProperty(FileList):
+    # Descriptor Protocol
+    def __get__(self, obj, objtype=None):
+        if obj is None:
+            return self.__class__
+        return self
+
+    def __set__(self, obj, value):
+        os.unlink(self._path)
+        for item in value:
+            self.append(item)
+
+    def __delete__(self, obj):
+        raise AttributeError("can't delete attribute")
+
 
 class DirectoryDict(collections.MutableMapping):
     """A dict that stores it's state in a directory.
@@ -98,13 +120,13 @@ class DirectoryDict(collections.MutableMapping):
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         try:
             with open(os.path.join(self._path, key), "r") as fd:
-                return fd.read()
+                return fd.read().rstrip('\n')
         except EnvironmentError:
             raise KeyError(key)
 
     def __setitem__(self, key, value):
         with open(os.path.join(self._path, key), "w") as fd:
-            fd.write(value)        
+            fd.write(str(value))        
 
     def __delitem__(self, key):
         os.remove(os.path.join(self._path, key))
@@ -114,3 +136,20 @@ class DirectoryDict(collections.MutableMapping):
 
     def __len__(self):
         return len(os.listdir(self._path))
+
+
+class DirectoryDictProperty(DirectoryDict):
+    # Descriptor Protocol
+    def __get__(self, obj, objtype=None):
+        if obj is None:
+            return self.__class__
+        return self
+
+    def __set__(self, obj, value):
+        for name in self.keys():
+            del self[name]
+        if value is not None:
+            self.update(value)
+
+    def __delete__(self, obj):
+        raise AttributeError("can't delete attribute")
diff --git a/lib/cdist/core/type.py b/lib/cdist/core/type.py
index 7492659e..7856c92f 100644
--- a/lib/cdist/core/type.py
+++ b/lib/cdist/core/type.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import os
 import cdist
 
 
+# FIXME: i should not have to care about prefix directory, local, remote and such.
+#  I know what my internals look like, the outside is none of my business.
 class Type(object):
     """Represents a cdist type.
 
@@ -51,6 +53,28 @@ class Type(object):
         except KeyError as e:
             raise cdist.MissingEnvironmentVariableError(e.args[0])
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def remote_base_dir():
+        """Return the absolute path to the top level directory where types
+        are kept on the remote/target host.
+
+        Requires the environment variable '__cdist_remote_base_dir' to be set.
+
+        """
+        try:
+            return os.path.join(
+                os.environ['__cdist_remote_base_dir'],
+                'conf',
+                'type'
+            )
+        except KeyError as e:
+            raise cdist.MissingEnvironmentVariableError(e.args[0])
+
+    # FIXME: probably wrong place for this
+    @property
+    def remote_explorer_dir(self):
+        return os.path.join(self.remote_path, "explorer")
+
     @classmethod
     def list_types(cls):
         """Return a list of type instances"""
@@ -80,6 +104,13 @@ class Type(object):
             self.base_dir(),
             self.name
         ) 
+    # FIXME: prefix directory should not leak into me
+    @property
+    def remote_path(self):
+        return os.path.join(
+            self.remote_base_dir(),
+            self.name
+        ) 
 
     @property
     def is_singleton(self):