diff --git a/src/pypungi/util.py b/src/pypungi/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..93895775
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pypungi/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python -tt
+# This program 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; version 2 of the License.
+#
+# This program 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 Library General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+
+import subprocess
+import os
+import shutil
+
+def _doRunCommand(command, logger, rundir='/tmp', output=subprocess.PIPE, error=subprocess.PIPE, env=None):
+    """Run a command and log the output.  Error out if we get something on stderr"""
+
+
+    logger.info("Running %s" % subprocess.list2cmdline(command))
+
+    p1 = subprocess.Popen(command, cwd=rundir, stdout=output, stderr=error, universal_newlines=True, env=env)
+    (out, err) = p1.communicate()
+
+    if out:
+        logger.debug(out)
+
+    if p1.returncode != 0:
+        logger.error("Got an error from %s" % command[0])
+        logger.error(err)
+        raise OSError, "Got an error from %s: %s" % (command[0], err)
+
+def _link(local, target, logger, force=False):
+    """Simple function to link or copy a package, removing target optionally."""
+
+    if os.path.exists(target) and force:
+        os.remove(target)
+
+    try:
+        os.link(local, target)
+    except OSError, e:
+        if e.errno != 18: # EXDEV
+            logger.error('Got an error linking from cache: %s' % e)
+            raise OSError, e
+
+        # Can't hardlink cross file systems
+        shutil.copy2(local, target)
+
+def _ensuredir(target, logger, force=False, clean=False):
+    """Ensure that a directory exists, if it already exists, only continue
+    if force is set."""
+
+    # We have to check existance of a logger, as setting the logger could
+    # itself cause an issue.
+    def whoops(func, path, exc_info):
+        message = 'Could not remove %s' % path
+        if logger:
+            logger.error(message)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr(message)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if os.path.exists(target) and not os.path.isdir(target):
+        message = '%s exists but is not a directory.' % target
+        if logger:
+            logger.error(message)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr(message)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if not os.path.isdir(target):
+        os.makedirs(target)
+    elif force and clean:
+        shutil.rmtree(target, onerror=whoops)
+        os.makedirs(target)
+    elif force:
+        return
+    else:
+        message = 'Directory %s already exists.  Use --force to overwrite.' % target
+        if logger:
+            logger.error(message)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr(message)
+        sys.exit(1)