diff --git a/os/include/os/slave.h b/os/include/os/slave.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0616230dca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/os/include/os/slave.h
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+/*
+ * \brief  Convenience helper for running a service as child process
+ * \author Norman Feske
+ * \author Christian Helmuth
+ * \date   2012-01-25
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2012 Genode Labs GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _INCLUDE__OS__SLAVE_H_
+#define _INCLUDE__OS__SLAVE_H_
+
+/* Genode includes */
+#include <base/rpc_server.h>
+#include <base/child.h>
+#include <init/child_policy.h>
+#include <ram_session/connection.h>
+#include <cpu_session/connection.h>
+#include <rm_session/connection.h>
+
+namespace Genode {
+
+	/**
+	 * Slave-policy class
+	 *
+	 * This class provides a convenience policy for single-service slaves using a
+	 * white list of parent services.
+	 */
+	class Slave_policy : public Genode::Child_policy
+	{
+		protected:
+
+			/**
+			 * Return white list of services the slave is permitted to use
+			 *
+			 * The list is terminated via a NULL pointer.
+			 */
+			virtual char const **_permitted_services() const = 0;
+
+		private:
+
+			char const               *_label;
+			Genode::Service_registry  _parent_services;
+
+			Genode::Rpc_entrypoint             &_entrypoint;
+			Genode::Rom_connection              _binary_rom;
+			Init::Child_policy_enforce_labeling _labeling_policy;
+			Init::Child_policy_provide_rom_file _binary_policy;
+			Init::Child_policy_provide_rom_file _config_policy;
+
+			bool _service_permitted(const char *service_name)
+			{
+				for (const char **s = _permitted_services(); *s; ++s)
+					if (!Genode::strcmp(service_name, *s))
+						return true;
+
+				return false;
+			}
+
+		public:
+
+			/**
+			 * Slave-policy constructor
+			 *
+			 * \param label         name of the program to start
+			 * \param entrypoint    entrypoint used to provide local services
+			 *                      such as the config ROM service
+			 * \param config        dataspace containing the child config
+			 */
+			Slave_policy(const char                  *label,
+			             Genode::Rpc_entrypoint      &entrypoint,
+			             Genode::Dataspace_capability config = Genode::Dataspace_capability())
+			:
+				_label(label),
+				_entrypoint(entrypoint),
+				_binary_rom(_label, _label),
+				_labeling_policy(_label),
+				_binary_policy("binary", _binary_rom.dataspace(), &_entrypoint),
+				_config_policy("config", config, &_entrypoint)
+			{ }
+
+			Genode::Dataspace_capability binary() { return _binary_rom.dataspace(); }
+
+
+			/****************************
+			 ** Child_policy interface **
+			 ****************************/
+
+			const char *name() const { return _label; }
+
+			Genode::Service *resolve_session_request(const char *service_name,
+			                                         const char *args)
+			{
+				Genode::Service *service = 0;
+
+				/* check for binary file request */
+				if ((service = _binary_policy.resolve_session_request(service_name, args)))
+					return service;
+
+				/* check for config file request */
+				if ((service = _config_policy.resolve_session_request(service_name, args)))
+					return service;
+
+				if (!_service_permitted(service_name)) {
+					PERR("%s: illegal session request of service \"%s\"",
+					     name(), service_name);
+					return 0;
+				}
+
+				/* fill parent service registry on demand */
+				if (!(service = _parent_services.find(service_name))) {
+					service = new (Genode::env()->heap())
+					          Genode::Parent_service(service_name);
+					_parent_services.insert(service);
+				}
+
+				/* return parent service */
+				return service;
+			}
+
+			void filter_session_args(const char *service,
+			                         char *args, Genode::size_t args_len)
+			{
+				_labeling_policy.filter_session_args(service, args, args_len);
+			}
+	};
+
+
+	class Slave
+	{
+		private:
+
+			struct Resources
+			{
+				Genode::Ram_connection ram;
+				Genode::Cpu_connection cpu;
+				Genode::Rm_connection  rm;
+
+				class Quota_exceeded : public Genode::Exception { };
+
+				Resources(const char *label, Genode::size_t ram_quota)
+				: ram(label), cpu(label)
+				{
+					/*
+					 * XXX derive donated quota from information to be provided by
+					 *     the used 'Connection' interfaces
+					 */
+					enum { DONATED_RAM_QUOTA = 128*1024 };
+					if (ram_quota >  DONATED_RAM_QUOTA)
+						ram_quota -= DONATED_RAM_QUOTA;
+					else
+						throw Quota_exceeded();
+					ram.ref_account(Genode::env()->ram_session_cap());
+					Genode::env()->ram_session()->transfer_quota(ram.cap(), ram_quota);
+				}
+			};
+
+			Resources     _resources;
+			Genode::Child _child;
+
+		public:
+
+			Slave(Genode::Rpc_entrypoint &entrypoint,
+			      Slave_policy           &slave_policy,
+			      Genode::size_t          ram_quota)
+			:
+				_resources(slave_policy.name(), ram_quota),
+				_child(slave_policy.binary(),
+				       _resources.ram.cap(), _resources.cpu.cap(),
+				       _resources.rm.cap(), &entrypoint, &slave_policy)
+			{ }
+	};
+}
+
+#endif /* _INCLUDE__OS__SLAVE_H_ */