diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 3b04636f3..bb71fca73 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -1,44 +1,58 @@
 require 'pathname'
 dir = Pathname.new(__FILE__).parent
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift(dir, dir + 'lib', dir + '../lib')
 
 require 'mocha'
 require 'puppet'
 require 'puppet/string'
 require 'rspec'
 
 Pathname.glob("#{dir}/shared_behaviours/**/*.rb") do |behaviour|
   require behaviour.relative_path_from(dir)
 end
 
 RSpec.configure do |config|
   config.mock_with :mocha
 
   config.before :each do
     # Set the confdir and vardir to gibberish so that tests
     # have to be correctly mocked.
     Puppet[:confdir] = "/dev/null"
     Puppet[:vardir] = "/dev/null"
 
     # Avoid opening ports to the outside world
     Puppet.settings[:bindaddress] = "127.0.0.1"
 
     @logs = []
     Puppet::Util::Log.newdestination(@logs)
 
-    
+    @load_path_scratch_dir = Dir.mktmpdir
+    $LOAD_PATH.push @load_path_scratch_dir
+    FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.join @load_path_scratch_dir, 'puppet', 'string')
   end
 
   config.after :each do
     Puppet.settings.clear
 
     @logs.clear
     Puppet::Util::Log.close_all
+
+    $LOAD_PATH.delete @load_path_scratch_dir
+    FileUtils.remove_entry_secure @load_path_scratch_dir
+  end
+
+  def write_scratch_string(name)
+    fail "you need to supply a block: do |fh| fh.puts 'content' end" unless block_given?
+    fail "name should be a symbol" unless name.is_a? Symbol
+    filename = File.join(@load_path_scratch_dir, 'puppet', 'string', "#{name}.rb")
+    File.open(filename, 'w') do |fh|
+      yield fh
+    end
   end
 end
 
 # We need this because the RAL uses 'should' as a method.  This
 # allows us the same behaviour but with a different method name.
 class Object
   alias :must :should
 end