diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__package/parameter/optional b/cdist/conf/type/__package/parameter/optional
index 9982507e..5a89ffc6 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__package/parameter/optional
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__package/parameter/optional
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ version
 type
 pkgsite
 state
+pstate
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/explorer/pkg_version b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/explorer/pkg_version
index 655b464d..aaa1da89 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/explorer/pkg_version
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/explorer/pkg_version
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2011-2012 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+# 2013 Daniel Heule (hda at sfs.biz)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 #
-# Retrieve the status of a package
+# Retrieve the status of a package off different types
 #
 
 if [ -f "$__object/parameter/name" ]; then
@@ -27,4 +28,21 @@ else
    name="$__object_id"
 fi
 
-rpm -q --whatprovides "$name"  | grep -v 'no package provides' || true
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/ptype" ]; then
+   ptype="$(cat "$__object/parameter/ptype")"
+else
+   ptype="package"
+fi
+
+case "$ptype" in
+    package)
+        zypper search --details --match-exact --installed-only --type "$ptype" "$name" | grep -E '^i' | cut -d " " -f 3,7 || true
+    ;;
+    patch|pattern|product|srcpackage)
+        zypper search --match-exact --installed-only --type "$ptype" "$name" | grep -E '^i' | cut -d " " -f 3 || true
+    ;;
+    *)
+        echo "unknown ptype in __package_zypper explorer" &>2
+        exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/gencode-remote
index d1766126..ef3bf029 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/gencode-remote
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2012 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+# 2013 Daniel Heule (hda at sfs.biz)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -39,6 +40,12 @@ else
    state_should="present"
 fi
 
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/ptype" ]; then
+   ptype="$(cat "$__object/parameter/ptype")"
+else
+   ptype="package"
+fi
+
 pkg_version="$(cat "$__object/explorer/pkg_version")"
 if [ -z "$pkg_version" ]; then
     state_is="absent"
@@ -51,10 +58,10 @@ fi
 
 case "$state_should" in
    present)
-         echo zypper $globalopts install --auto-agree-with-licenses \"$name\" ">/dev/null"
+         echo zypper $globalopts install --type \"$ptype\" --auto-agree-with-licenses \"$name\" ">/dev/null"
    ;;
    absent)
-         echo zypper $globalopts remove \"$name\" ">/dev/null"
+         echo zypper $globalopts remove --type \"$ptype\" \"$name\" ">/dev/null"
    ;;
    *)
       echo "Unknown state: $state_should" >&2
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/man.text b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/man.text
index e2261d33..465b21be 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/man.text
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/man.text
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ name::
 state::
     Either "present" or "absent", defaults to "present"
 
+ptype::
+    Either "package", "patch", "pattern", "product" or "srcpackage", defaults to "package". For a description see man zypper.
+
 
 EXAMPLES
 --------
@@ -39,6 +42,9 @@ __package_zypper python --state present --name python2
 
 # Remove package
 __package_zypper cfengine --state absent
+
+# install all packages which belongs to pattern x11
+__package_zypper x11 --ptype pattern --state present
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/default/ptype b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/default/ptype
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ba3bd787
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/default/ptype
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+package
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/optional b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/optional
index 1b423dc4..b484bf07 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/optional
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__package_zypper/parameter/optional
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 name
 state
+ptype