diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 43f109fed..7be3dd3b1 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -187,6 +187,15 @@ target_link_libraries(eressea
   ${INIPARSER_LIBRARIES}
 )
 
+add_executable(convert convert.c)
+target_link_libraries(convert
+  game
+  ${LUA_MATH_LIBRARY}
+  ${STORAGE_LIBRARIES}
+  ${CLIBS_LIBRARIES}
+  ${INIPARSER_LIBRARIES}
+)
+
 set(TESTS_SRC
   monsters.test.c
   names.test.c
@@ -268,6 +277,7 @@ endif(CURSES_FOUND)
 if (LIBXML2_FOUND)
 include_directories (${LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR})
 target_link_libraries(eressea ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(convert ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES})
 target_link_libraries(test_eressea ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES})
 add_definitions(-DUSE_LIBXML2)
 endif (LIBXML2_FOUND)
diff --git a/src/convert.c b/src/convert.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a67c5a287
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/convert.c
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#include <platform.h>
+
+
+#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
+#include <kernel/xmlreader.h>
+#include <util/xml.h>
+#endif
+#include <kernel/race.h>
+#include <kernel/rules.h>
+#include <races/races.h>
+
+#include <storage.h>
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+static int usage(void) {
+    return -1;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+    const char *mode;
+
+    register_races();
+#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
+    register_xmlreader();
+#endif
+    if (argc < 2) return usage();
+    mode = argv[1];
+#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
+    if (strcmp(mode, "rules")==0) {
+        const char *xmlfile, *catalog;
+        if (argc < 4) return usage();
+        xmlfile = argv[2];
+        catalog = argv[3];
+        read_xml(xmlfile, catalog);
+        write_rules("rules.dat");
+        return 0;
+    }
+#endif
+    if (strcmp(mode, "po")==0) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    return usage();
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index d3a2e8e56..b8423ae03 100644
--- a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ pool.c
 race.c
 region.c
 resources.c
+rules.c
 save.c
 ship.c
 skills.c
diff --git a/src/kernel/rules.c b/src/kernel/rules.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7499fe0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/rules.c
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#include <platform.h>
+#include "rules.h"
+
+int write_rules(const char *filename) {
+    return -1;
+}
+
+int read_rules(const char *filename)
+{
+    return -1;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/kernel/rules.h b/src/kernel/rules.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..98f0bf240
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/rules.h
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#pragma once
+
+int read_rules(const char *filename);
+int write_rules(const char * filename);
+