diff --git a/lib/cdist/emulator.py b/lib/cdist/emulator.py
index 27a3abb1..0a6d57d6 100644
--- a/lib/cdist/emulator.py
+++ b/lib/cdist/emulator.py
@@ -24,122 +24,80 @@ import logging
 import os
 
 import cdist
+from cdist import core
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 def run(argv):
     """Emulate type commands (i.e. __file and co)"""
-    cdist_type      = os.path.basename(argv[0])
-    type_path       = os.path.join(os.environ['__cdist_type_base_path'], cdist_type)
-    param_path      = os.path.join(type_path, "parameter")
-    global_path     = os.environ['__global']
-    object_source   = os.environ['__cdist_manifest']
-
     if '__debug' in os.environ:
         logging.root.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
     else:
         logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
+    global_path = os.environ['__global']
+    object_source = os.environ['__cdist_manifest']
+    type_name = os.path.basename(argv[0])
+
+    object_base_path = os.path.join(global_path, "object")
+    type_base_path = os.environ['__cdist_type_base_path']
+    cdist_type = core.Type(type_base_path, type_name)
+
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
 
-    for parameter in cdist.file_to_list(os.path.join(param_path, "optional")):
+    for parameter in cdist_type.optional_parameters:
         argument = "--" + parameter
         parser.add_argument(argument, action='store', required=False)
-    for parameter in cdist.file_to_list(os.path.join(param_path, "required")):
+    for parameter in cdist_type.required_parameters:
         argument = "--" + parameter
         parser.add_argument(argument, action='store', required=True)
 
     # If not singleton support one positional parameter
-    if not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(type_path, "singleton")):
+    if not cdist_type.is_singleton:
         parser.add_argument("object_id", nargs=1)
 
     # And finally verify parameter
     args = parser.parse_args(argv[1:])
 
     # Setup object_id
-    if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(type_path, "singleton")):
+    if cdist_type.is_singleton:
         object_id = "singleton"
     else:
         object_id = args.object_id[0]
         del args.object_id
 
-        # FIXME: / hardcoded - better portable solution available?
-        if object_id[0] == '/':
-            object_id = object_id[1:]
+        # strip leading slash from object_id
+        object_id = object_id.lstrip('/')
+
+    # Instantiate the cdist object whe are defining
+    cdist_object = core.Object(cdist_type, object_base_path, object_id)
 
     # Prefix output by object_self
-    logformat = '%(levelname)s: ' + cdist_type + '/' + object_id + ': %(message)s'
+    logformat = '%%(levelname)s: %s: %%(message)s' % cdist_object.path
     logging.basicConfig(format=logformat)
 
     # FIXME: verify object id
     log.debug(args)
 
-    object_path = os.path.join(global_path, "object", cdist_type,
-                            object_id, cdist.DOT_CDIST)
-    log.debug("Object output dir = " + object_path)
-
-    param_out_dir = os.path.join(object_path, "parameter")
-
-    object_source_file = os.path.join(object_path, "source")
-
-    if os.path.exists(object_path):
-        object_exists = True
-        old_object_source_fd = open(object_source_file, "r")
-        old_object_source = old_object_source_fd.readlines()
-        old_object_source_fd.close()
-
+    # Create object with given parameters
+    parameters = vars(args)
+    if cdist_object.exists:
+        if cdist_object.parameters != parameters:
+            raise cdist.Error("Object %s already exists with conflicting parameters:\n%s: %s\n%s: %s"
+                % (cdist_object, " ".join(cdist_object.source), cdist_object.parameters, object_source, parameters)
+            )
     else:
-        object_exists = False
-        try:
-            os.makedirs(object_path, exist_ok=False)
-            log.debug("Object param dir = " + param_out_dir)
-            os.makedirs(param_out_dir, exist_ok=False)
-        except OSError as error:
-            raise cdist.Error(param_out_dir + ": " + error.args[1])
-
-    # Record parameter
-    params = vars(args)
-    for param in params:
-        value = getattr(args, param)
-        if value:
-            file = os.path.join(param_out_dir, param)
-            log.debug(file + "<-" + param + " = " + value)
-
-            # Already exists, verify all parameter are the same
-            if object_exists:
-                if not os.path.isfile(file):
-                    raise cdist.Error("New parameter \"" +
-                        param + "\" specified, aborting\n" +
-                        "Source = " +
-                        " ".join(old_object_source)
-                        + " new =" + object_source)
-                else:
-                    param_fd = open(file, "r")
-                    value_old = param_fd.readlines()
-                    param_fd.close()
-                    
-                    if(value_old[0] != value):
-                        raise cdist.Error("Parameter\"" + param +
-                            "\" differs: " + " ".join(value_old) + " vs. " +
-                            value +
-                            "\nSource = " + " ".join(old_object_source)
-                            + " new = " + object_source)
-            else:
-                param_fd = open(file, "w")
-                param_fd.writelines(value)
-                param_fd.close()
+        cdist_object.create()
+        cdist_object.parameters = parameters
 
     # Record requirements
     if "require" in os.environ:
         requirements = os.environ['require']
-        log.debug(object_id + ":Writing requirements: " + requirements)
-        require_fd = open(os.path.join(object_path, "require"), "a")
-        require_fd.write(requirements.replace(" ","\n"))
-        require_fd.close()
+        log.debug("%s:Writing requirements: %s" % (cdist_object.path, requirements))
+        cdist_object.requirements.extend(requirements.split(" "))
 
     # Record / Append source
-    source_fd = open(os.path.join(object_path, "source"), "a")
-    source_fd.writelines(object_source)
-    source_fd.close()
+    # FIXME: source should be list
+    cdist_object.source.append(object_source)
 
-    log.debug("Finished " + cdist_type + "/" + object_id + repr(params))
+    log.debug("Finished %s %s" % (cdist_object.path, parameters))