diff --git a/spec/lib/puppet_spec/fixtures.rb b/spec/lib/puppet_spec/fixtures.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..96bb1e39d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/puppet_spec/fixtures.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+module PuppetSpec::Fixtures
+  def fixtures(*rest)
+    File.join(PuppetSpec::FIXTURE_DIR, *rest)
+  end
+  def my_fixture_dir
+    callers = caller
+    while line = callers.shift do
+      next unless found = line.match(%r{puppet/spec/(.*)_spec\.rb:})
+      return fixtures(found[1])
+    end
+    fail "sorry, I couldn't work out your path from the caller stack!"
+  end
+  def my_fixture(name)
+    file = File.join(my_fixture_dir, name)
+    unless File.readable? file then
+      fail Puppet::DevError, "fixture '#{name}' for #{my_fixture_dir} is not readable"
+    end
+    return file
+  end
+  def my_fixtures(glob = '*', flags = 0)
+    files = Dir.glob(File.join(my_fixture_dir, glob), flags)
+    unless files.length > 0 then
+      fail Puppet::DevError, "fixture '#{glob}' for #{my_fixture_dir} had no files!"
+    end
+    block_given? and files.each do |file| yield file end
+    files
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index feb8928c1..cf5f39b1e 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -1,81 +1,84 @@
 unless defined?(SPEC_HELPER_IS_LOADED)
 SPEC_HELPER_IS_LOADED = 1
 
 dir = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__))
 
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift("#{dir}/")
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift("#{dir}/lib") # a spec-specific test lib dir
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift("#{dir}/../lib")
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift("#{dir}/../test/lib")
 
 # Don't want puppet getting the command line arguments for rake or autotest
 ARGV.clear
 
 require 'puppet'
 require 'mocha'
 gem 'rspec', '>=2.0.0'
 
 # So everyone else doesn't have to include this base constant.
 module PuppetSpec
   FIXTURE_DIR = File.join(dir = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__)), "fixtures") unless defined?(FIXTURE_DIR)
 end
 
 module PuppetTest
 end
 
 require 'lib/puppet_spec/files'
+require 'lib/puppet_spec/fixtures'
 require 'monkey_patches/alias_should_to_must'
 require 'monkey_patches/publicize_methods'
 
 RSpec.configure do |config|
+  include PuppetSpec::Fixtures
+
   config.mock_with :mocha
 
   config.before :each do
     # these globals are set by Application
     $puppet_application_mode = nil
     $puppet_application_name = nil
 
     # 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(Puppet::Test::LogCollector.new(@logs))
   end
 
   config.after :each do
     Puppet.settings.clear
     Puppet::Node::Environment.clear
     Puppet::Util::Storage.clear
 
     if defined?($tmpfiles)
       $tmpfiles.each do |file|
         file = File.expand_path(file)
         if Puppet.features.posix? and file !~ /^\/tmp/ and file !~ /^\/var\/folders/
           puts "Not deleting tmpfile #{file} outside of /tmp or /var/folders"
           next
         elsif Puppet.features.microsoft_windows?
           tempdir = File.expand_path(File.join(Dir::LOCAL_APPDATA, "Temp"))
           if file !~ /^#{tempdir}/
             puts "Not deleting tmpfile #{file} outside of #{tempdir}"
             next
           end
         end
         if FileTest.exist?(file)
           system("chmod -R 755 '#{file}'")
           system("rm -rf '#{file}'")
         end
       end
       $tmpfiles.clear
     end
 
     @logs.clear
     Puppet::Util::Log.close_all
   end
 end
 
 end