diff --git a/bin/sde b/bin/sde
index fbac9a2..058561f 100755
--- a/bin/sde
+++ b/bin/sde
@@ -71,30 +71,25 @@ fi
 # load corresponding library for sh scripts
 #
 . "$SDEROOT/lib/libsde.in"
+. "$SDEROOT/lib/sde-wrapper.in"
 
 if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
 	command="help"
-elif [ "$1" != "${1%-*}" ]; then 
-	# unknown command
-	echo_error "Command '$COLOR_INFO$1$COLOR_NORMAL' not understood."
-	# call help without arguments
-	set --
-	command="help"
-elif [ -x "$SDEROOT/bin/sde-$1" ]; then
-	command="$1"; shift
-elif grep -q "^#Alias: $1$" $SDEROOT/bin/sde-* 2> /dev/null; then
-	# use alias
-	command="$( grep -l "^#Alias: $1$" `ls -1d $SDEROOT/bin/sde-* | grep -v 'bin/sde-.*-.*'` 2> /dev/null |
-		head -n 1 | sed -e 's,.*/sde-,,' )"
-	shift
 else
-	# unknown command
-	echo_error "Command '$COLOR_INFO$1$COLOR_NORMAL' not understood."
-	# call help without arguments
-	set --
-	command="help"
+	# detect requested command
+	command="$( sde_wrapper_command "$1" )"
+	if [ -z "$command" ]; then
+		# unknown command
+		echo_error "Command '$COLOR_INFO$1$COLOR_NORMAL' not understood."
+		# call help without arguments
+		set --
+		command="help"
+	else
+		shift
+	fi
 fi
 
+
 [ -x "$SDEROOT/bin/sde-$command" ] ||
 	echo_abort 2 "Can't execute '$COLOR_INFO$SDEROOT/bin/sde-$command$COLOR_NORMAL', sorry."
 
diff --git a/lib/sde-wrapper.in b/lib/sde-wrapper.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0923605
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/sde-wrapper.in
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# --- SDE-COPYRIGHT-NOTE-BEGIN ---
+# This copyright note is auto-generated by ./scripts/Create-CopyPatch.
+# 
+# Filename: lib/sde-wrapper.in
+# Copyright (C) 2006 - 2007 The OpenSDE Project
+# 
+# More information can be found in the files COPYING and README.
+# 
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; version 2 of the License. A copy of the
+# GNU General Public License can be found in the file COPYING.
+# --- SDE-COPYRIGHT-NOTE-END ---
+
+# list all the valid command wrappers
+#
+sde_list_command_files() {
+	ls -1d "$SDEROOT/bin/sde-"* | grep -v 'bin/sde-.*-.*'
+}
+
+sde_wrapper_command() {
+	local cmdbin=
+	if [ "$1" != "${1%-*}" ]; then
+		# trying to cheat, no dashes alowed
+		return
+	elif [ -x "$SDEROOT/bin/sde-$1" ]; then
+		# command given explicitly
+		echo "$1"
+	else
+		# given token may be an alias of a valid command
+		cmdbin=$( grep -l "^#Alias: $1$" `sde_list_command_files` | head -n 1 )
+		echo "$cmdbin" | sed -e 's,.*/sde-,,'
+	fi
+}