diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelper.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelper.java
index 6e21b7784f5b57aa7193de23605282eea6b11478..dd4cfa72d30e220fd57c4d34c7645e5db80430c3 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelper.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelper.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
     public static ProcessResult run(final List<String> cmd, final Logger operationLog,
             final Logger machineLog, boolean stopOnInterrupt) throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked
     {
-        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT,
+        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, null, false, ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT,
                 ProcessIOStrategy.DEFAULT_IO_STRATEGY, operationLog, machineLog)
                 .run(stopOnInterrupt);
     }
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
             final Logger machineLog, final long millisToWaitForCompletion,
             final boolean stopOnInterrupt) throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked
     {
-        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, millisToWaitForCompletion,
+        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, null, false, millisToWaitForCompletion,
                 ProcessIOStrategy.DEFAULT_IO_STRATEGY, operationLog, machineLog)
                 .run(stopOnInterrupt);
     }
@@ -204,8 +205,39 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
             final ProcessIOStrategy ioStrategy, final boolean stopOnInterrupt)
             throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked
     {
-        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, millisToWaitForCompletion, ioStrategy, operationLog,
-                machineLog).run(stopOnInterrupt);
+        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, null, false, millisToWaitForCompletion, ioStrategy,
+                operationLog, machineLog).run(stopOnInterrupt);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Runs an Operating System process, specified by <var>cmd</var>.
+     * 
+     * @param cmd The command line to run.
+     * @param environment The environment of the process to start.
+     * @param replaceEnvironment If <code>true</code>, the environment will be cleared before
+     *            addinng the keys from <var>environment</var>, if it is <code>false</code>, the
+     *            keys in <var>environment</var> will be added without clearing the environment
+     *            before.
+     * @param operationLog The {@link Logger} to use for all message on the higher level.
+     * @param machineLog The {@link Logger} to use for all message on the lower (machine) level.
+     * @param millisToWaitForCompletion The time to wait for the process to complete in milli
+     *            seconds. If the process is not finished after that time, it will be terminated by
+     *            a watch dog.
+     * @param ioStrategy The strategy to handle process I/O.
+     * @param stopOnInterrupt If <code>true</code>, an {@link InterruptedExceptionUnchecked} will be
+     *            thrown if the thread got interrupted, otherwise, the
+     *            {@link ProcessResult#isInterruped()} flag will be set.
+     * @return The process result.
+     * @throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked If the thread got interrupted and
+     *             <var>stopOnInterrupt</var> is <code>true</code>.
+     */
+    public static ProcessResult run(final List<String> cmd, final Map<String, String> environment,
+            boolean replaceEnvironment, final Logger operationLog, final Logger machineLog,
+            final long millisToWaitForCompletion, final ProcessIOStrategy ioStrategy,
+            final boolean stopOnInterrupt) throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked
+    {
+        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, environment, replaceEnvironment, millisToWaitForCompletion,
+                ioStrategy, operationLog, machineLog).run(stopOnInterrupt);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -249,6 +281,34 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
                 false));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Runs an Operating System process, specified by <var>cmd</var>.
+     * 
+     * @param cmd The command line to run.
+     * @param environment The environment of the process to start.
+     * @param replaceEnvironment If <code>true</code>, the environment will be cleared before
+     *            addinng the keys from <var>environment</var>, if it is <code>false</code>, the
+     *            keys in <var>environment</var> will be added without clearing the environment
+     *            before.
+     * @param operationLog The {@link Logger} to use for all message on the higher level.
+     * @param machineLog The {@link Logger} to use for all message on the lower (machine) level.
+     * @param millisToWaitForCompletion The time to wait for the process to complete in
+     *            milli-seconds. If the process is not finished after that time, it will be
+     *            terminated by a watch dog.
+     * @param processIOStrategy The strategy of how to handle the process I/O.
+     * @return <code>true</code>, if the process did complete successfully, <code>false</code>
+     *         otherwise.
+     * @throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked If the thread got interrupted.
+     */
+    public static boolean runAndLog(final List<String> cmd, final Map<String, String> environment,
+            boolean replaceEnvironment, final Logger operationLog, final Logger machineLog,
+            final long millisToWaitForCompletion, final ProcessIOStrategy processIOStrategy)
+            throws InterruptedExceptionUnchecked
+    {
+        return log(run(cmd, environment, replaceEnvironment, operationLog, machineLog,
+                millisToWaitForCompletion, processIOStrategy, false));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Runs an Operating System process, specified by <var>cmd</var>.
      * 
@@ -298,6 +358,8 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
     {
         return new ProcessExecutor(
                 cmd,
+                null,
+                false,
                 millisToWaitForCompletion,
                 outputReadingStrategy == OutputReadingStrategy.NEVER ? ProcessIOStrategy.DISCARD_IO_STRATEGY
                         : ProcessIOStrategy.DEFAULT_IO_STRATEGY, operationLog, machineLog)
@@ -331,6 +393,8 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
     {
         return new ProcessExecutor(
                 cmd,
+                null,
+                false,
                 millisToWaitForCompletion,
                 outputReadingStrategy == OutputReadingStrategy.NEVER ? ProcessIOStrategy.DISCARD_IO_STRATEGY
                         : (binaryOutput ? ProcessIOStrategy.BINARY_IO_STRATEGY
@@ -351,8 +415,32 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
     public static IProcessHandler runUnblocking(final List<String> cmd, Logger operationLog,
             final Logger machineLog, final ProcessIOStrategy processIOStrategy)
     {
-        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT, processIOStrategy,
-                operationLog, machineLog).runUnblocking();
+        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, null, false, ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT,
+                processIOStrategy, operationLog, machineLog).runUnblocking();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Runs an Operating System process, specified by <var>cmd</var>. Does not block waiting for a
+     * result.
+     * 
+     * @param cmd The command line to run.
+     * @param environment The environment of the process to start.
+     * @param replaceEnvironment If <code>true</code>, the environment will be cleared before
+     *            addinng the keys from <var>environment</var>, if it is <code>false</code>, the
+     *            keys in <var>environment</var> will be added without clearing the environment
+     *            before.
+     * @param operationLog The {@link Logger} to use for all message on the higher level.
+     * @param machineLog The {@link Logger} to use for all message on the lower (machine) level.
+     * @param processIOStrategy The strategy on how to deal with process I/O.
+     * @return The handler which allows to wait for the result or terminate the process.
+     */
+    public static IProcessHandler runUnblocking(final List<String> cmd,
+            final Map<String, String> environment, final boolean replaceEnvironment,
+            Logger operationLog, final Logger machineLog, final ProcessIOStrategy processIOStrategy)
+    {
+        return new ProcessExecutor(cmd, environment, replaceEnvironment,
+                ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT, processIOStrategy, operationLog, machineLog)
+                .runUnblocking();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -373,6 +461,8 @@ public final class ProcessExecutionHelper
     {
         return new ProcessExecutor(
                 cmd,
+                null,
+                false,
                 ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT,
                 outputReadingStrategy == OutputReadingStrategy.NEVER ? ProcessIOStrategy.DISCARD_IO_STRATEGY
                         : ProcessIOStrategy.DEFAULT_IO_STRATEGY, operationLog, machineLog)
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutor.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutor.java
index 129ef5b6011f8f6ed6fbc10d1fe3a040df46447a..1881aefc2157e5aec8b079e075b24b835a6c840c 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutor.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutor.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Future;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
@@ -151,6 +152,11 @@ class ProcessExecutor
     /** Read-only! */
     private final List<String> commandLine;
 
+    private final boolean replaceEnvironment;
+
+    /** Read-only! */
+    private final Map<String, String> environment;
+
     private final long millisToWaitForCompletion;
 
     private final long millisToWaitForIOCompletion;
@@ -273,6 +279,14 @@ class ProcessExecutor
         private final Process launch() throws IOException
         {
             final ProcessBuilder processBuilder = new ProcessBuilder(commandLine);
+            if (replaceEnvironment)
+            {
+                processBuilder.environment().clear();
+            }
+            if (environment != null)
+            {
+                processBuilder.environment().putAll(environment);
+            }
             if (processIOStrategy.isMergeStderr())
             {
                 processBuilder.redirectErrorStream(true);
@@ -371,6 +385,14 @@ class ProcessExecutor
         private final Process launch() throws IOException
         {
             final ProcessBuilder processBuilder = new ProcessBuilder(commandLine);
+            if (replaceEnvironment)
+            {
+                processBuilder.environment().clear();
+            }
+            if (environment != null)
+            {
+                processBuilder.environment().putAll(environment);
+            }
             if (processIOStrategy.isMergeStderr())
             {
                 processBuilder.redirectErrorStream(true);
@@ -566,7 +588,8 @@ class ProcessExecutor
         }
     }
 
-    ProcessExecutor(final List<String> commandLine, final long millisToWaitForCompletion,
+    ProcessExecutor(final List<String> commandLine, final Map<String, String> environment,
+            final boolean replaceEnvironment, final long millisToWaitForCompletion,
             final ProcessIOStrategy ioStrategy, final Logger operationLog, final Logger machineLog)
     {
         this.processNumber = processCounter.getAndIncrement();
@@ -582,10 +605,12 @@ class ProcessExecutor
             this.millisToWaitForCompletion = millisToWaitForCompletion;
         }
         this.millisToWaitForIOCompletion =
-            Math.round((millisToWaitForCompletion == ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT) ? ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT
+                Math.round((millisToWaitForCompletion == ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT) ? ConcurrencyUtilities.NO_TIMEOUT
                     : this.millisToWaitForCompletion * OUTPUT_READING_TIMEOUT_FRACTION);
         this.processIOStrategy = ioStrategy;
         this.commandLine = Collections.unmodifiableList(commandLine);
+        this.environment = environment;
+        this.replaceEnvironment = replaceEnvironment;
         this.processOutput = new ProcessOutput();
         this.processWrapper = new AtomicReference<ProcessRecord>();
         if (ioStrategy.isUseNoIOHandler() == false && ioStrategy.tryGetCustomIOHandler() == null)
@@ -622,8 +647,8 @@ class ProcessExecutor
                 }
 
                 @Override
-                public ProcessResult getResult(
-                        @SuppressWarnings("hiding") final long millisToWaitForCompletion)
+                public ProcessResult getResult(@SuppressWarnings("hiding")
+                final long millisToWaitForCompletion)
                 {
                     return getProcessResult(stopOnInterruption, runnerFuture,
                             millisToWaitForCompletion);
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java
index 8a7942df33b06df71fbe85a57ee9936f44054106..3e90be0d00e821e67cdae521d2bb9f51eade5de8 100644
--- a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.assertTrue;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Timer;
 import java.util.TimerTask;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ public class ProcessExecutionHelperTest
         assertFalse(ok);
     }
 
-    @Test(groups = 
+    @Test(groups =
         { "requires_unix", "flaky" })
     public void testExecutionOKWithTimeOut() throws Exception
     {
@@ -171,6 +173,55 @@ public class ProcessExecutionHelperTest
         assertTrue(ok);
     }
 
+    @Test(groups =
+        { "requires_unix", "flaky" })
+    public void testExecutionEnvNoReplaceEnviron() throws Exception
+    {
+        final File dummyExec = createExecutable("printEnv.sh", "env");
+        final Map<String, String> env = new HashMap<String, String>();
+        env.put("bla", "blub");
+        final ProcessResult result =
+                ProcessExecutionHelper.run(Arrays.asList(dummyExec.getAbsolutePath()), env,
+                        false, operationLog, machineLog, WATCHDOG_WAIT_MILLIS,
+                        ProcessIOStrategy.DEFAULT_IO_STRATEGY, true);
+        assertTrue(result.isOK());
+        boolean found = false;
+        for (String ln : result.getOutput())
+        {
+            if (ln.equals("bla=blub"))
+            {
+                found = true;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        assertTrue(found);
+    }
+
+    @Test(groups =
+            { "requires_unix", "flaky" })
+        public void testExecutionEnvReplaceEnviron() throws Exception
+        {
+            final File dummyExec = createExecutable("printEnv.sh", "env");
+            final Map<String, String> env = new HashMap<String, String>();
+            env.put("bla", "blub");
+            final ProcessResult result =
+                    ProcessExecutionHelper.run(Arrays.asList(dummyExec.getAbsolutePath()), env,
+                            true, operationLog, machineLog, WATCHDOG_WAIT_MILLIS,
+                            ProcessIOStrategy.DEFAULT_IO_STRATEGY, true);
+            assertTrue(result.isOK());
+            assertEquals(2, result.getOutput().size());
+            boolean found = false;
+            for (String ln : result.getOutput())
+            {
+                if (ln.equals("bla=blub"))
+                {
+                    found = true;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            assertTrue(found);
+        }
+
     @Test(groups =
         { "requires_unix" })
     public void testExecutionFailedWithTimeOut() throws Exception