diff --git a/conf/type/__mkfs/gencode-remote b/conf/type/__mkfs/gencode-remote
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e5061013
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__mkfs/gencode-remote
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 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/>.
+#
+
+device="(cat "$__object/parameter/device")"
+type="(cat "$__object/parameter/type")"
+
+command="mkfs -t $type"
+
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/options" ]; then
+   options="(cat "$__object/parameter/options")"
+   command="$command -o '$options'"
+fi
+command="$command $device"
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/blocks" ]; then
+   blocks="(cat "$__object/parameter/blocks")"
+   command="$command $blocks"
+fi
+
+echo "$command"
diff --git a/conf/type/__mkfs/installer b/conf/type/__mkfs/installer
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/conf/type/__mkfs/man.text b/conf/type/__mkfs/man.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4320c639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__mkfs/man.text
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+cdist-type__mkfs(7)
+===================
+Steven Armstrong <steven-cdist--@--armstrong.cc>
+
+
+NAME
+----
+cdist-type__mkfs - build a linux file system
+
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+This cdist type is a wrapper for the mkfs command.
+
+
+REQUIRED PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+type::
+   The filesystem type to use. Same as mkfs -t.
+
+
+OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+device::
+   defaults to object_id
+
+options::
+   file system-specific options to be passed to the mkfs command
+
+blocks::
+   the number of blocks to be used for the file system
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# reiserfs /dev/sda5
+__mkfs /dev/sda5 --type reiserfs
+# same thing with explicit device
+__mkfs whatever --device /dev/sda5 --type reiserfs
+
+# jfs with journal on /dev/sda2
+__mkfs /dev/sda1 --type jfs --options "-j /dev/sda2"
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+- cdist-type(7)
+- mkfs(8)
+
+
+COPYING
+-------
+Copyright \(C) 2011 Steven Armstrong. Free use of this software is
+granted under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3).
diff --git a/conf/type/__mkfs/manifest b/conf/type/__mkfs/manifest
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e9d275a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__mkfs/manifest
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 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/>.
+#
+
+# set defaults
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/device" ]; then
+   device="(cat "$__object/parameter/device")"
+else
+   device="/$__object_id"
+   echo "$device" > "$__object/parameter/device"
+fi
+
+type="(cat "$__object/parameter/type")"
+
+options="(cat "$__object/parameter/options")"
diff --git a/conf/type/__mkfs/parameter/optional b/conf/type/__mkfs/parameter/optional
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..86aeae30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__mkfs/parameter/optional
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+device
+options
+blocks
diff --git a/conf/type/__mkfs/parameter/required b/conf/type/__mkfs/parameter/required
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa80e646
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__mkfs/parameter/required
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+type