diff --git a/src/pisi/build.py b/src/pisi/build.py
index 4bb6a3be..0a28cce5 100644
--- a/src/pisi/build.py
+++ b/src/pisi/build.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from archive import Archive
 
 # import pisipackage
 import util
-import ui
+from ui import ui
 
 class PisiBuildError(Exception):
     pass
diff --git a/src/pisi/install.py b/src/pisi/install.py
index 5eae44c9..fed39478 100644
--- a/src/pisi/install.py
+++ b/src/pisi/install.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from specfile import *
 from package import Package
 import util
-import ui
+from ui import ui
 import installdb
 import packagedb
 import dependency
diff --git a/src/pisi/ui.py b/src/pisi/ui.py
index 1e5170eb..163aae35 100644
--- a/src/pisi/ui.py
+++ b/src/pisi/ui.py
@@ -3,28 +3,28 @@
 import sys
 from colors import colorize
 
-# put the interface directly in the module
-# since the UI is _unique_
-
 def register(_impl):
     """ Register a UI implementation"""
-    impl = _impl
-
-def info(msg):
-    impl.info(msg)
-
-def error(msg):
-    impl.error(msg)
+    ui = _impl
 
 # default UI implementation
 class CLI:
+    def __init__(self, debuggy = True):
+        self.showDebug = debuggy
+
     def info(self, msg):
         sys.stdout.write(colorize(msg, 'blue'))
         sys.stdout.flush()
 
+    def debug(self, msg):
+        if showDebug:
+            sys.stdout.write(msg)
+            sys.stdout.flush()
+
     def error(self,msg):
         sys.stdout.write(colorize(msg, 'red'))
         sys.stdout.flush()
-# default UI is CLI
-impl = CLI()
+
+# default UI is CLI
+ui = CLI()
 
diff --git a/src/pisi/util.py b/src/pisi/util.py
index ea998c4d..c1bcac7a 100644
--- a/src/pisi/util.py
+++ b/src/pisi/util.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import md5
+from ui import ui
 
 class FileError(Exception):
     pass
@@ -21,14 +22,6 @@ def check_dir(dir):
     dir = dir.strip().rstrip("/")
     if not os.access(dir, os.F_OK):
         os.makedirs(dir)
-        # does the parent exist?
-##        (parent_dir, curr_dir) = os.path.split(dir)
-##        if parent_dir != "/":
-##            check_dir(parent_dir)
-##        try:
-##            os.mkdir(dir)
-##        except OSError, e:
-##            raise UtilError("%s" % e)
 
 def purge_dir(top):
     """Remove all content of a directory (top)"""
@@ -59,14 +52,14 @@ def md5_file(filename):
 
 # run a command non-interactively
 def run_batch(cmd):
-    print 'running ', cmd
+    ui.info('running ' + cmd)
     a = os.popen(cmd)
     lines = a.readlines()
     ret = a.close()
-    print 'return value ', ret
+    ui.debug('return value ' + ret)
     successful = ret == None
     if not successful:
-      print 'ERROR: executing command', cmd
+      ui.error('ERROR: executing command: ' + cmd)
       for x in lines:
         print x
     return (successful,lines)