diff --git a/tools/find_specs.py b/tools/find_specs.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4103f2906
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/find_specs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#! /usr/bin/python3
+
+import sys
+from argparse import ArgumentParser
+from spack.environment import find_environment
+
+
+def get_parser():
+    parser = ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("packagename")
+    return parser
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = get_parser()
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    env = find_environment(args)
+    if env is None:
+        sys.stderr.write("No environment\n")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    reslist = []
+
+    for spec in env.user_specs:
+        s = str(spec)
+        if s.startswith(args.packagename + '@'):
+#            reslist.insert(0, s)
+            pass
+        else:
+            reslist.append("^" + s)
+
+    print(" ".join(reslist))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
+    
diff --git a/tools/spack_dev-build.sh b/tools/spack_dev-build.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f3efb23a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/spack_dev-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+if [[ -z "${SPACK_ENV}" ]]; then
+    echo "Activate spack environment before calling the script."
+    return
+fi
+
+if [[ "$#" -ne 1 && "$#" -ne 3 ]]; then
+    echo "Invalid number of parameter. Expects 1 or 3 parameters."
+    echo "  1 parameter  : print the specs in dev-build format:"
+    echo "    usage      : . ./spack_dev-build.sh package-name"
+    echo "    example    : . ./spack_dev-build.sh fairroot"
+    echo "  3 parameters : dev-build package in the given folder:"
+    echo "    usage      : . ./spack_dev-build.sh package-name /path/to/package/source version"
+    echo "    example    : . ./spack_dev-build.sh fairroot     \$HOME/spack/FairRootDev develop+sim+examples"
+    return
+fi
+
+deps=$(spack python $SPACK_ROOT/../tools/find_specs.py $1);
+
+if [[ "$#" -eq 1 ]]; then
+    echo $deps;
+    return
+fi
+
+coml="spack -C ./config dev-build -j 4 -d $2 $1@$3 $deps";
+
+echo $coml;
+
+$coml