diff --git a/conf/lib/cdist_explore_os.sh b/conf/lib/cdist_explore_os.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..76c3f896
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/lib/cdist_explore_os.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 2010 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/>.
+#
+#
+# All os variables are lower case
+#
+#
+
+cdist_explore_os()
+{
+   # Ubuntu is also Debian, thus return if Ubuntu was found
+   if grep -q ^DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu /etc/lsb-release 2>/dev/null; then
+      echo ubuntu
+      return
+   fi
+
+   [ -f /etc/arch-release ] && echo archlinux
+
+   [ -f /etc/debian_version ] && echo debian
+
+   [ -f /etc/redhat-release ] && echo redhat
+
+}