diff --git a/docs/development/roadmap.rst b/docs/development/roadmap.rst
index ee074eee..b3188a40 100644
--- a/docs/development/roadmap.rst
+++ b/docs/development/roadmap.rst
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ Stuff we really want to do, but just not right now
   stuff into the various distros) to make Debian/Ubuntu installation a breeze.
 - Create `Homebrew <http://mxcl.github.com/homebrew/>`_ recipies for all our
   dependencies and Mopidy itself to make OS X installation a breeze.
+- Run frontend tests against a real MPD server to ensure we are in sync.
+- Start working with MPD-client maintainers to get rid of weird assumptions
+  like only searching for first two letters etc.
 
 
 Crazy stuff we had to write down somewhere
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
index 44d82545..fc4eb6f4 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ from mopidy.utils import get_class
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.backends.base')
 
+__all__ = ['BaseBackend', 'BasePlaybackController',
+    'BaseCurrentPlaylistController', 'BaseStoredPlaylistsController',
+    'BaseLibraryController']
+
 class BaseBackend(object):
     def __init__(self, core_queue=None, mixer=None):
         self.core_queue = core_queue
@@ -42,6 +46,11 @@ class BaseBackend(object):
     uri_handlers = []
 
     def destroy(self):
+        '''
+        Call destroy on all sub-components in backend so that they can cleanup
+        after themselves.
+        '''
+
         if self.current_playlist:
             self.current_playlist.destroy()
 
@@ -218,6 +227,7 @@ class BaseCurrentPlaylistController(object):
         self.playlist = self.playlist.with_(tracks=before+shuffled+after)
 
     def destroy(self):
+        '''Cleanup after component'''
         pass
 
 
@@ -274,6 +284,7 @@ class BaseLibraryController(object):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def destroy(self):
+        '''Cleanup after component'''
         pass
 
 
@@ -593,6 +604,7 @@ class BasePlaybackController(object):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def destroy(self):
+        '''Cleanup after component'''
         pass
 
 
@@ -708,4 +720,5 @@ class BaseStoredPlaylistsController(object):
         return filter(lambda p: query in p.name, self._playlists)
 
     def destroy(self):
+        '''Cleanup after component'''
         pass
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py b/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
index e39593af..567e7acf 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/gstreamer.py
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@ pygst.require('0.10')
 
 import gst
 import logging
+import os
+import shutil
 import threading
 
-from mopidy.backends import (BaseBackend,
-                             BasePlaybackController,
-                             BaseCurrentPlaylistController)
+from mopidy.backends import * 
+from mopidy.models import Playlist
+from mopidy import settings
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(u'backends.gstreamer')
 
@@ -35,7 +37,9 @@ class GStreamerBackend(BaseBackend):
         super(GStreamerBackend, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
         self.playback = GStreamerPlaybackController(self)
+        self.stored_playlists = GStreamerStoredPlaylistsController(self)
         self.current_playlist = BaseCurrentPlaylistController(self)
+        self.uri_handlers = [u'file:']
 
 
 class GStreamerPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
@@ -108,3 +112,43 @@ class GStreamerPlaybackController(BasePlaybackController):
 
         del bus
         del bin
+
+
+class GStreamerStoredPlaylistsController(BaseStoredPlaylistsController):
+    def __init__(self, *args):
+        super(GStreamerStoredPlaylistsController, self).__init__(*args)
+        # FIXME need test that ensures that folder is created
+        self._folder = os.path.expanduser(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER)
+
+    def create(self, name):
+        playlist = Playlist(name=name)
+        self.save(playlist)
+        return playlist
+
+    def delete(self, playlist):
+        if playlist not in self._playlists:
+            return
+
+        self._playlists.remove(playlist)
+        file = os.path.join(self._folder, playlist.name + '.m3u')
+
+        if os.path.exists(file):
+            os.remove(file)
+
+    def rename(self, playlist, name):
+        if playlist not in self._playlists:
+            return
+
+        src = os.path.join(self._folder, playlist.name + '.m3u')
+        dst = os.path.join(self._folder, name + '.m3u')
+
+        renamed = playlist.with_(name=name)
+        index = self._playlists.index(playlist)
+        self._playlists[index] = renamed
+
+        shutil.move(src, dst)
+
+    def save(self, playlist):
+        file = os.path.join(self._folder, playlist.name + '.m3u')
+        open(file, 'w').close()
+        self._playlists.append(playlist)
diff --git a/mopidy/settings.py b/mopidy/settings.py
index 6cb2928e..ce132ba7 100644
--- a/mopidy/settings.py
+++ b/mopidy/settings.py
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ SPOTIFY_LIB_APPKEY = u'~/.mopidy/spotify_appkey.key'
 #: Path to the libspotify cache. Used by LibspotifyBackend.
 SPOTIFY_LIB_CACHE = u'~/.mopidy/libspotify_cache'
 
+#: Path to playlist folder with m3u files.
+PLAYLIST_FOLDER = u'~/.mopidy/playlists'
+
 # Import user specific settings
 dotdir = os.path.expanduser(u'~/.mopidy/')
 settings_file = os.path.join(dotdir, u'settings.py')
diff --git a/mopidy/utils.py b/mopidy/utils.py
index 0142e15c..0275e055 100644
--- a/mopidy/utils.py
+++ b/mopidy/utils.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import logging
 from multiprocessing.reduction import reduce_connection
 import os
 import pickle
+import urllib
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.utils')
 
@@ -91,3 +92,43 @@ def spotify_uri_to_int(uri, output_bits=31):
         compressed_id ^= (full_id & (2 ** output_bits - 1))
         full_id >>= output_bits
     return int(compressed_id)
+
+def m3u_to_uris(file_path):
+    """
+    Convert M3U file list of uris
+
+    Example M3U data:
+
+        # This is a comment
+        Alternative\Band - Song.mp3
+        Classical\Other Band - New Song.mp3
+        Stuff.mp3
+        D:\More Music\Foo.mp3
+        http://www.example.com:8000/Listen.pls
+        http://www.example.com/~user/Mine.mp3
+
+    - Relative paths of songs should be with respect to location of M3U.
+    - Paths are normaly platform specific.
+    - Lines starting with # should be ignored.
+    - m3u files are latin-1.
+    - This function does not bother with Extended M3U directives.
+    """
+
+    uris = []
+    folder = os.path.dirname(file_path)
+
+    with open(file_path) as m3u:
+        for line in m3u.readlines():
+            line = line.strip().decode('latin1')
+
+            if line.startswith('#'):
+                continue
+
+            if line.startswith('file:'):
+                uris.append(line)
+            else:
+                file = os.path.join(folder, line)
+                path = urllib.pathname2url(file.encode('utf-8'))
+                uris.append('file:' + path)
+
+    return uris
diff --git a/tests/backends/base.py b/tests/backends/base.py
index 0d62554d..a03ea95d 100644
--- a/tests/backends/base.py
+++ b/tests/backends/base.py
@@ -1,12 +1,20 @@
+import os
 import random
-import time
+import shutil
+import tempfile
 import threading
+import time
 
+from mopidy import settings
 from mopidy.mixers.dummy import DummyMixer
 from mopidy.models import Playlist, Track
 
 from tests import SkipTest
 
+__all__ = ['BaseCurrentPlaylistControllerTest',
+           'BasePlaybackControllerTest',
+           'BaseStoredPlaylistsControllerTest']
+
 def populate_playlist(func):
     def wrapper(self):
         for track in self.tracks:
@@ -872,3 +880,86 @@ class BasePlaybackControllerTest(object):
     def test_playing_track_that_isnt_in_playlist(self):
         test = lambda: self.playback.play(self.tracks[0])
         self.assertRaises(AssertionError, test)
+
+
+class BaseStoredPlaylistsControllerTest(object):
+    backend_class = None
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.original_folder = settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER
+        settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        self.backend = self.backend_class(mixer=DummyMixer())
+        self.stored  = self.backend.stored_playlists
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.backend.destroy()
+        if os.path.exists(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER):
+            shutil.rmtree(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER)
+        settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER = self.original_folder
+
+    def test_create(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        self.assertEqual(playlist.name, 'test')
+
+    def test_create_in_playlists(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        self.assert_(self.stored.playlists)
+
+    def test_playlists_empty_to_start_with(self):
+        self.assert_(not self.stored.playlists)
+
+    def test_delete_non_existant_playlist(self):
+        self.stored.delete(Playlist())
+
+    def test_delete_playlist(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        self.stored.delete(playlist)
+        self.assert_(not self.stored.playlists)
+
+    def test_get_without_criteria(self):
+        test = lambda: self.stored.get()
+        self.assertRaises(LookupError, test)
+
+    def test_get_with_wrong_cirteria(self):
+        test = lambda: self.stored.get(name='foo')
+        self.assertRaises(LookupError, test)
+
+    def test_get_with_right_criteria(self):
+        playlist1 = self.stored.create('test')
+        playlist2 = self.stored.get(name='test')
+        self.assertEqual(playlist1, playlist2)
+
+    def test_search_returns_empty_list(self):
+        self.assertEqual([], self.stored.search('test'))
+
+    def test_search_returns_playlist(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        playlists = self.stored.search('test')
+        self.assert_(playlist in playlists)
+
+    def test_search_returns_mulitple_playlists(self):
+        playlist1 = self.stored.create('test')
+        playlist2 = self.stored.create('test2')
+        playlists = self.stored.search('test')
+        self.assert_(playlist1 in playlists)
+        self.assert_(playlist2 in playlists)
+
+    def test_lookup(self):
+        raise SkipTest
+
+    def test_refresh(self):
+        raise SkipTest
+
+    def test_rename(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        self.stored.rename(playlist, 'test2')
+        self.stored.get(name='test2')
+
+    def test_rename_unknown_playlist(self):
+        self.stored.rename(Playlist(), 'test2')
+
+    def test_save(self):
+        # FIXME should we handle playlists without names?
+        playlist = Playlist(name='test')
+        self.stored.save(playlist)
+        self.assert_(playlist in self.stored.playlists)
diff --git a/tests/backends/gstreamer_test.py b/tests/backends/gstreamer_test.py
index 6672dd96..78b1f7cb 100644
--- a/tests/backends/gstreamer_test.py
+++ b/tests/backends/gstreamer_test.py
@@ -1,35 +1,38 @@
 import unittest
 import os
+import urllib
 
 from mopidy.models import Playlist, Track
 from mopidy.backends.gstreamer import GStreamerBackend
+from mopidy import settings
 
-from tests.backends.base import (BasePlaybackControllerTest,
-    BaseCurrentPlaylistControllerTest)
+from tests.backends.base import *
 
 folder = os.path.dirname(__file__)
 folder = os.path.join(folder, '..', 'data')
 folder = os.path.abspath(folder)
 song = os.path.join(folder, 'song%s.wav')
-song = 'file://' + song
+generate_song = lambda i: 'file:' + urllib.pathname2url(song % i)
 
 # FIXME can be switched to generic test
-class GStreamerCurrentPlaylistHandlerTest(BaseCurrentPlaylistControllerTest,
-        unittest.TestCase):
-    tracks = [Track(uri=song % i, id=i, length=4464) for i in range(1, 4)]
+class GStreamerCurrentPlaylistHandlerTest(BaseCurrentPlaylistControllerTest, unittest.TestCase):
+    tracks = [Track(uri=generate_song(i), id=i, length=4464) for i in range(1, 4)]
+
     backend_class = GStreamerBackend
 
 
-class GStreamerPlaybackControllerTest(BasePlaybackControllerTest,
-        unittest.TestCase):
-    tracks = [Track(uri=song % i, id=i, length=4464) for i in range(1, 4)]
+class GStreamerPlaybackControllerTest(BasePlaybackControllerTest, unittest.TestCase):
+    tracks = [Track(uri=generate_song(i), id=i, length=4464) for i in range(1, 4)]
     backend_class = GStreamerBackend
 
     def add_track(self, file):
-        uri = 'file://' + os.path.join(folder, file)
+        uri = 'file:' + urllib.pathname2url(os.path.join(folder, file))
         track = Track(uri=uri, id=1, length=4464)
         self.backend.current_playlist.add(track)
 
+    def test_uri_handler(self):
+        self.assert_('file:' in self.backend.uri_handlers)
+
     def test_play_mp3(self):
         self.add_track('blank.mp3')
         self.playback.play()
@@ -44,3 +47,37 @@ class GStreamerPlaybackControllerTest(BasePlaybackControllerTest,
         self.add_track('blank.flac')
         self.playback.play()
         self.assertEqual(self.playback.state, self.playback.PLAYING)
+
+
+class GStreamerBackendStoredPlaylistsControllerTest(BaseStoredPlaylistsControllerTest,
+        unittest.TestCase):
+
+    backend_class = GStreamerBackend
+
+    def test_created_playlist_is_persisted(self):
+        self.stored.create('test')
+        file = os.path.join(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER, 'test.m3u')
+        self.assert_(os.path.exists(file))
+
+    def test_saved_playlist_is_persisted(self):
+        self.stored.save(Playlist(name='test2'))
+        file = os.path.join(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER, 'test2.m3u')
+        self.assert_(os.path.exists(file))
+
+    def test_deleted_playlist_get_removed(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        self.stored.delete(playlist)
+        file = os.path.join(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER, 'test.m3u')
+        self.assert_(not os.path.exists(file))
+
+    def test_renamed_playlist_gets_moved(self):
+        playlist = self.stored.create('test')
+        self.stored.rename(playlist, 'test2')
+        file1 = os.path.join(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER, 'test.m3u')
+        file2 = os.path.join(settings.PLAYLIST_FOLDER, 'test2.m3u')
+        self.assert_(not os.path.exists(file1))
+        self.assert_(os.path.exists(file2))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/data/comment.m3u b/tests/data/comment.m3u
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..af37f706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/comment.m3u
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# test
+song1.mp3
diff --git a/tests/data/empty.m3u b/tests/data/empty.m3u
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/data/encoding.m3u b/tests/data/encoding.m3u
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..383aa526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/encoding.m3u
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+æøå.mp3
diff --git a/tests/data/one.m3u b/tests/data/one.m3u
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7a3d081
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/one.m3u
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+song1.mp3
diff --git a/tests/utils_test.py b/tests/utils_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4531745d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#encoding: utf-8
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+import urllib
+
+from mopidy.utils import m3u_to_uris
+
+def data(name):
+    folder = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+    folder = os.path.join(folder, 'data')
+    folder = os.path.abspath(folder)
+    return os.path.join(folder, name)
+
+
+song1_path = data('song1.mp3')
+song2_path = data('song2.mp3')
+encoded_path = data(u'æøå.mp3')
+song1_uri = 'file:' + urllib.pathname2url(song1_path)
+song2_uri = 'file:' + urllib.pathname2url(song2_path)
+encoded_uri = 'file:' + urllib.pathname2url(encoded_path.encode('utf-8'))
+
+
+class M3UToUriTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_empty_file(self):
+        uris = m3u_to_uris(data('empty.m3u'))
+        self.assertEqual([], uris)
+
+    def test_basic_file(self):
+        uris = m3u_to_uris(data('one.m3u'))
+        self.assertEqual([song1_uri], uris)
+
+    def test_file_with_comment(self):
+        uris = m3u_to_uris(data('comment.m3u'))
+        self.assertEqual([song1_uri], uris)
+
+    def test_file_with_absolute_files(self):
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as file:
+            file.write(song1_path)
+            file.flush()
+
+            uris = m3u_to_uris(file.name)
+            self.assertEqual([song1_uri], uris)
+
+    def test_file_with_multiple_absolute_files(self):
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as file:
+            file.write(song1_path+'\n')
+            file.write('# comment \n')
+            file.write(song2_path)
+            file.flush()
+
+            uris = m3u_to_uris(file.name)
+            self.assertEqual([song1_uri, song2_uri], uris)
+
+    def test_file_with_uri(self):
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as file:
+            file.write(song1_uri)
+            file.flush()
+
+            uris = m3u_to_uris(file.name)
+            self.assertEqual([song1_uri], uris)
+
+    def test_encoding_is_latin1(self):
+        uris = m3u_to_uris(data('encoding.m3u'))
+        self.assertEqual([encoded_uri], uris)