diff --git a/cdist/test/exec/local.py b/cdist/test/exec/local.py
index 0865b7dc..a62beeaa 100644
--- a/cdist/test/exec/local.py
+++ b/cdist/test/exec/local.py
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import random
 import time
 import datetime
 import argparse
+import stat
+import unittest
 
 import cdist
 import cdist.configuration as cc
@@ -278,6 +280,85 @@ class LocalTestCase(test.CdistTestCase):
         for fmt, expected, actual in cases:
             self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
+    #------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # POLYGLOT tests:
+    #   Ensure cdist is truely language-agnostic
+    #   with proper support of shebang for "executable" scripts
+    #------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    @staticmethod
+    def _mark_as_executable(script):
+        # grant execute permission to everyone
+        os.chmod(script,
+                (os.stat(script).st_mode & 0o777)
+            | stat.S_IEXEC | stat.S_IXGRP | stat.S_IXOTH)
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_shell_script_with_exec_permisions(self):
+        xc = self.local
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "[ 1 == 1 ] && echo OK" ])
+
+        self._mark_as_executable(script)
+
+        xc.run_script(script)
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_shell_script_without_exec_permissions(self):
+        xc = self.local
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "[ 1 == 1 ] && echo OK" ])
+
+        xc.run_script(script)
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_perl_script_with_exec_permissions(self):
+        xc = self.local
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        try:
+            xc.run(["/usr/bin/env", "perl", "-v"])
+        except:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest(
+                'perl interpreter or env program is not available.')
+
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.write(
+                """#!/usr/bin/env perl
+                use strict;
+                print 'OK';
+                """)
+
+        self._mark_as_executable(script)
+
+        self.assertEqual(xc.run_script(script, return_output=True), "OK")
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_perl_script_without_exec_permissions_and_fail(self):
+        xc = self.local
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        try:
+            xc.run(["/usr/bin/env", "perl", "-v"])
+        except:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest(
+                'perl interpreter or env program is not available.')
+
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.write(
+                """#!/usr/bin/env perl
+                use strict;
+                print 'OK';
+                """)
+
+        # NOTE that we deliberately abstain from setting execute permissions
+        # on the script, so that it ends up being fed into /bin/sh
+        # by the executor, which in turn should cause an error.
+        failed = False
+        try:
+            xc.run_script(script)
+        except:
+            failed = True
+        self.assertTrue(failed)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import unittest
diff --git a/cdist/test/exec/remote.py b/cdist/test/exec/remote.py
index b23f8447..ccba389f 100644
--- a/cdist/test/exec/remote.py
+++ b/cdist/test/exec/remote.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import os
 import getpass
 import shutil
 import multiprocessing
+import stat
+import unittest
 
 import cdist
 from cdist import test
@@ -220,6 +222,86 @@ class RemoteTestCase(test.CdistTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(output, "test_object\n")
 
 
+    #------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # POLYGLOT tests:
+    #   Ensure cdist is truely language-agnostic
+    #   with proper support of shebang for "executable" scripts
+    #------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    @staticmethod
+    def _mark_as_executable(script):
+        # grant execute permission to everyone
+        os.chmod(script,
+                (os.stat(script).st_mode & 0o777)
+            | stat.S_IEXEC | stat.S_IXGRP | stat.S_IXOTH)
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_shell_script_with_exec_permisions(self):
+        xc = self.remote
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "[ 1 == 1 ] && echo OK" ])
+
+        self._mark_as_executable(script)
+
+        xc.run_script(script)
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_shell_script_without_exec_permissions(self):
+        xc = self.remote
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.writelines(["#!/bin/sh\n", "[ 1 == 1 ] && echo OK" ])
+
+        xc.run_script(script)
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_perl_script_with_exec_permissions(self):
+        xc = self.remote
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        try:
+            xc.run(["/usr/bin/env", "perl", "-v"])
+        except:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest(
+                'perl interpreter or env program is not available.')
+
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.write(
+                """#!/usr/bin/env perl
+                use strict;
+                print 'OK';
+                """)
+
+        self._mark_as_executable(script)
+
+        self.assertEqual(xc.run_script(script, return_output=True), "OK")
+
+    def test_polyglot_run_perl_script_without_exec_permissions_and_fail(self):
+        xc = self.remote
+        xc.create_files_dirs()
+        try:
+            xc.run(["/usr/bin/env", "perl", "-v"])
+        except:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest(
+                'perl interpreter or env program is not available.')
+
+        handle, script = self.mkstemp(dir=self.temp_dir)
+        with os.fdopen(handle, "w") as fd:
+            fd.write(
+                """#!/usr/bin/env perl
+                use strict;
+                print 'OK';
+                """)
+
+        # NOTE that we deliberately abstain from setting execute permissions
+        # on the script, so that it ends up being fed into /bin/sh
+        # by the executor, which in turn should cause an error.
+        failed = False
+        try:
+            xc.run_script(script)
+        except:
+            failed = True
+        self.assertTrue(failed)
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import unittest
 
diff --git a/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/explorer/polyglot_perl b/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/explorer/polyglot_perl
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..4f64de0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/test/explorer/fixtures/conf/explorer/polyglot_perl
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+use strict;
+
+print "Polyglot - perl\n"