diff --git a/src/Transport.cpp b/src/Transport.cpp
index eda61d200..6af97159b 100644
--- a/src/Transport.cpp
+++ b/src/Transport.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@
 
 #include <iostream>
 #include <stdlib.h>
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <sys/wait.h>
+#include "util.h"
 #include "Transport.h"
 #include "TransportSSH.h"
 #include "TransportRSYNC.h"
@@ -70,49 +69,7 @@ Transport* Transport::getTransport(const Uri& uri)
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 int Transport::execute()
 {
-  if (executable == "")
-    return -1;
-
-  pid_t child_pid = fork();
-
-  if (child_pid == 0)
-  {
-    // this is done by the child process
-    char shell[] = "bash";
-    char opt[]   = "-c";
-
-    std::string cmdline = executable;
-
-    std::vector <std::string>::iterator it;
-    for (it = arguments.begin(); it != arguments.end(); ++it)
-    {
-      std::string tmp = *it;
-      cmdline += " " + tmp;
-    }
-
-    char** argv = new char*[4];
-    argv[0] = shell;                  // sh
-    argv[1] = opt;                    // -c
-    argv[2] = (char*)cmdline.c_str();	// e.g. scp undo.data user@host:.task/
-    argv[3] = NULL;                   // required by execv
-
-    int ret = execvp(shell, argv);
-    delete[] argv;
-
-    exit(ret);
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    // this is done by the parent process
-    int child_status;
-
-    pid_t pid = waitpid(child_pid, &child_status, 0);
-
-    if (pid == -1)
-      return -1;
-    else
-      return child_status;
-  }
+  return ::execute(executable, arguments);
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
index dbed968a3..647eebdf7 100644
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -380,3 +381,53 @@ std::string compressIds (const std::vector <int>& ids)
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Run an external executable with execvp. This means stdio goes to 
+// the child process, so that it can receive user input (e.g. passwords).
+//
+int execute(const std::string& executable, std::vector<std::string> arguments)
+{
+  if (executable == "")
+    return -1;
+
+  pid_t child_pid = fork();
+
+  if (child_pid == 0)
+  {
+    // this is done by the child process
+    char shell[] = "bash";
+    char opt[]   = "-c";
+
+    std::string cmdline = executable;
+
+    std::vector <std::string>::iterator it;
+    for (it = arguments.begin(); it != arguments.end(); ++it)
+    {
+      cmdline += " " + (std::string)*it;
+    }
+
+    char** argv = new char*[4];
+    argv[0] = shell;                  // bash
+    argv[1] = opt;                    // -c
+    argv[2] = (char*)cmdline.c_str();	// e.g. scp undo.data user@host:.task/
+    argv[3] = NULL;                   // required by execv
+
+    int ret = execvp(shell, argv);
+    delete[] argv;
+
+    exit(ret);
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    // this is done by the parent process
+    int child_status;
+
+    pid_t pid = waitpid(child_pid, &child_status, 0);
+
+    if (pid == -1)
+      return -1;
+    else
+      return child_status;
+  }
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index 275d85bd7..0f61f4885 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ void delay (float);
 std::string formatBytes (size_t);
 int autoComplete (const std::string&, const std::vector<std::string>&, std::vector<std::string>&);
 const std::string uuid ();
+int execute (const std::string&, std::vector<std::string>);
 
 #ifdef SOLARIS
   #define LOCK_SH 1