diff --git a/tool/ports/current b/tool/ports/current
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..9403d4c1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/ports/current
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/make -f
+
+#
+# \brief  Tool for printing current contrib directory of port
+# \author Christian Helmuth
+# \date   2015-01-07
+#
+
+#
+# Determine Genode base directory based on the known location of the
+# 'create_builddir' tool within the Genode source tree
+#
+GENODE_DIR := $(realpath $(dir $(MAKEFILE_LIST))/../..)
+
+include $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/ports/mk/front_end.inc
+include $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/ports/mk/check_port_arg.inc
+
+usage:
+	@$(ECHO)
+	@$(ECHO) "--- print current contrib directory of port ---"
+	@$(ECHO) "usage: current <port-name>"
+	@$(ECHO)
+
+$(TARGET):
+	@$(ECHO) $(PORT_DIR)
diff --git a/tool/ports/shortcut b/tool/ports/shortcut
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..70e08fa5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/ports/shortcut
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/make -f
+
+#
+# \brief  Tool for updating symbolic links to ports
+# \author Alexander Boettcher
+# \date   2015-01-12
+#
+
+#
+# Determine Genode base directory based on the known location of the
+# 'create_builddir' tool within the Genode source tree
+#
+GENODE_DIR := $(realpath $(dir $(MAKEFILE_LIST))/../..)
+
+include $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/ports/mk/front_end.inc
+include $(GENODE_DIR)/tool/ports/mk/check_port_arg.inc
+
+usage:
+	@$(ECHO)
+	@$(ECHO) "--- create symbolic link from 'contrib/<port-name>-<hash>' to contrib/<port-name> ---"
+	@$(ECHO) "usage: shortcut <port-name>"
+	@$(ECHO)
+
+$(TARGET):
+	$(VERBOSE)ln -snf $(PORT_DIR) $(CONTRIB_DIR)/$(PORT_NAME)