diff --git a/conf/ConfigureFromEnv.php b/conf/ConfigureFromEnv.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c71e840c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/ConfigureFromEnv.php
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * Configure Sapphire from the _ss_environment.php file.
+ * Usage: Put "require_once('sapphire/core/ConfigureFromEnv.php');" into your _config.php file.
+ * 
+ * If you include this file, you will be able to use the following defines in _ss_environment.php to control 
+ * your site.
+ * 
+ * Your database connection will be set up using these defines:
+ *  - SS_DATABASE_SERVER: The database server to use, defaulting to localhost
+ *  - SS_DATABASE_USERNAME: The databsae username (mandatory)
+ *  - SS_DATABASE_PASSWORD: The database password (mandatory)
+ *  - SS_DATABASE_SUFFIX: A suffix to add to the database name.
+ *  - SS_DATABASE_PREFIX: A prefix to add to the database name.
+ * 
+ * You can configure the environment with this define:
+ *  - SS_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE: The environment type: dev, test or live.
+ * 
+ * Email:
+ *  - SS_SEND_ALL_EMAILS_TO: If you set this define, all emails will be redirected to this address.
+ * 
+ * @package sapphire
+ * @subpackage core
+ */
+
+/*
+ * _ss_environment.php handler
+ */
+foreach(array(
+	'SS_DATABASE_PASSWORD',
+	'SS_DATABASE_USERNAME', 
+	'SS_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE',) as $reqDefine) {
+	if(!defined($reqDefine)) user_error("$reqDefine must be defined in your _ss_environment.php.  See http://doc.silverstripe.com/doku.php?id=environment-management for more infomration", E_USER_ERROR);
+}
+ 
+Director::set_environment_type(SS_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE);
+
+global $databaseConfig;
+$databaseConfig = array(
+	"type" => "MySQLDatabase",
+	"server" => defined('SS_DATABASE_SERVER') ? SS_DATABASE_SERVER : 'localhost', 
+	"username" => SS_DATABASE_USERNAME, 
+	"password" => SS_DATABASE_PASSWORD, 
+	"database" => (defined('SS_DATABASE_PREFIX') ? SS_DATABASE_PREFIX : '')
+		. $database 
+		. (defined('SS_DATABASE_SUFFIX') ? SS_DATABASE_SUFFIX : ''),
+);
+
+if(defined('SS_SEND_ALL_EMAILS_TO')) {
+	Email::send_all_emails_to(SS_SEND_ALL_EMAILS_TO);
+}
diff --git a/conf/_manifest_exclude b/conf/_manifest_exclude
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb