diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3c96dbf4..3f95f883 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ test:
 	tests/cli/test_cli_exit_codes.sh &&\
 	tests/cli/test_cli_logs.sh &&\
 	tests/cli/test_custom_formatters.sh &&\
-	tests/cli/test_flow.sh
+	tests/cli/test_flow.sh &&\
+	tests/cli/test_exec.sh
 
 version:
 	@echo $(VERSION)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8e6e7ce7..112d6d18 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -258,6 +258,27 @@ my-flow:
 
 You can run the pipeline using `dpp run my-flow`.
 
+### Executing a subprocess
+
+You can integrate system executables or shell scripts into the pipeline using `exec`.
+This can be used for example to set permissions / run external binaries / install system dependencies.
+The execution output is logged in real-time to standard logging at `info` logging level.
+
+Exec commands must be placed before the pipeline steps
+
+```
+process-data:
+  pipeline:
+  - exec: [sh, set_permissions.sh]
+  - exec: [ls, -lah]
+  - exec: |
+      curl http://example.com/data.zip > my-data.zip
+      unzip my-data.zip
+  - flow: ..
+  - run: ..
+  ..
+```
+
 ## The Standard Processor Library
 
 A few built in processors are provided with the library.
diff --git a/datapackage_pipelines/lib/exec.py b/datapackage_pipelines/lib/exec.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..821e7852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/datapackage_pipelines/lib/exec.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+from datapackage_pipelines.wrapper import ingest
+import subprocess
+import logging
+import os
+
+
+with ingest() as ctx:
+    parameters, datapackage, resources = ctx
+    assert len(datapackage['resources']) == 0, 'exec processor does not support input data'
+    cmd = parameters.pop('__exec')
+    os.environ['__EXEC_PROCESSOR_PATH'] = parameters.pop('__path')
+    with subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=isinstance(cmd, str), stdout=subprocess.PIPE) as p:
+        for line in p.stdout:
+            logging.info(line.decode())
+        p.wait()
+        assert p.returncode == 0, f'exec failed, returncode = {p.returncode}'
diff --git a/datapackage_pipelines/specs/resolver.py b/datapackage_pipelines/specs/resolver.py
index 3de96798..8503dcef 100644
--- a/datapackage_pipelines/specs/resolver.py
+++ b/datapackage_pipelines/specs/resolver.py
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ def resolve_executor(step, path, errors):
         step['run'] = 'flow'
         step.setdefault('parameters', {}).update(__flow=step.pop('flow'),
                                                  __path=path)
+    elif 'exec' in step:
+        step['run'] = 'exec'
+        step.setdefault('parameters', {}).update(__exec=step.pop('exec'),
+                                                 __path=path)
 
     executor = step['run']
     back_up, parts = convert_dot_notation(executor)
diff --git a/datapackage_pipelines/specs/schemas/pipeline-spec.schema.json b/datapackage_pipelines/specs/schemas/pipeline-spec.schema.json
index 83b263bb..2768226b 100644
--- a/datapackage_pipelines/specs/schemas/pipeline-spec.schema.json
+++ b/datapackage_pipelines/specs/schemas/pipeline-spec.schema.json
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@
             "required": [
               "flow"
             ]
+          },
+          {
+            "required": [
+              "exec"
+            ]
           }
         ],
         "properties": {
diff --git a/tests/cli/pipeline-spec.yaml b/tests/cli/pipeline-spec.yaml
index 26da3def..ed38dd0e 100644
--- a/tests/cli/pipeline-spec.yaml
+++ b/tests/cli/pipeline-spec.yaml
@@ -93,3 +93,19 @@ dataflows:
   - run: dump_to_path
     parameters:
       out-path: test_flow_data
+
+exec:
+  pipeline:
+  - exec: [ls, -lah]
+  - exec: [bash, -c, 'echo __EXEC_PROCESSOR_PATH = $__EXEC_PROCESSOR_PATH']
+  - run: load_resource
+    parameters:
+      url: ../data/datapackage.json
+      resource: my-spiffy-resource
+
+exec_shell:
+  pipeline:
+  - exec: |
+      TEMPFILE=`mktemp`
+      echo test > $TEMPFILE
+      echo $TEMPFILE > test_exec_shell_tempfile
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_exec.sh b/tests/cli/test_exec.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..61020dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/test_exec.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+cd tests/cli
+
+TEMPFILE=`mktemp`
+
+set -o pipefail
+! dpp run --verbose ./exec >/dev/stdout 2>&1 | tee $TEMPFILE && echo failed to run exec pipeline && exit 1
+set +o pipefail
+
+! cat "${TEMPFILE}" | grep "test_exec.sh" && echo exec output is missing && exit 1
+! cat "${TEMPFILE}" | grep "__EXEC_PROCESSOR_PATH" && echo exec output is missing && exit 1
+rm $TEMPFILE
+
+TEMPFILE=`mktemp`
+
+rm -f test_exec_shell_tempfile
+
+set -o pipefail
+! dpp run --verbose ./exec_shell >/dev/stdout 2>&1 | tee $TEMPFILE && echo failed to run exec_shell pipeline && exit 1
+set +o pipefail
+
+! [ "$(cat $(cat test_exec_shell_tempfile))" == "test" ] \
+    && echo unexecpted data && exit 1
+
+rm $(cat test_exec_shell_tempfile)
+rm test_exec_shell_tempfile
+
+echo Great Success
+exit 0