Import util modules on Master like it works on Minion

conf/master

@@ -533,6 +533,9 @@
 # Add any additional locations to look for master runners:
 #runner_dirs: []
 
+# Add any additional locations to look for master utils:
+#utils_dirs: []
+
 # Enable Cython for master side modules:
 #cython_enable: False
 

doc/ref/configuration/master.rst

@@ -1731,6 +1731,22 @@ Set additional directories to search for runner modules.
     runner_dirs:
       - /var/lib/salt/runners
 
+.. conf_master:: utils_dirs
+
+``utils_dirs``
+---------------
+
+.. versionadded:: Oxygen
+
+Default: ``[]``
+
+Set additional directories to search for util modules.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    utils_dirs:
+      - /var/lib/salt/utils
+
 .. conf_master:: cython_enable
 
 ``cython_enable``

doc/topics/utils/index.rst

@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ the ``foo`` utility module with a ``__virtual__`` function.
     def bar():
         return 'baz'
 
+.. versionadded:: Oxygen
+    Instantiating objects from classes declared in util modules works with
+    Master side modules, such as Runners, Outputters, etc.
+
 Also you could even write your utility modules in object oriented fashion:
 
 .. code-block:: python

salt/config/__init__.py

@@ -1473,8 +1473,9 @@ DEFAULT_MASTER_OPTS = {
     'syndic_forward_all_events': False,
     'syndic_log_file': os.path.join(salt.syspaths.LOGS_DIR, 'syndic'),
     'syndic_pidfile': os.path.join(salt.syspaths.PIDFILE_DIR, 'salt-syndic.pid'),
-    'runner_dirs': [],
     'outputter_dirs': [],
+    'runner_dirs': [],
+    'utils_dirs': [],
     'client_acl_verify': True,
     'publisher_acl': {},
     'publisher_acl_blacklist': {},
@@ -3601,12 +3602,23 @@ def apply_master_config(overrides=None, defaults=None):
     if len(opts['sock_dir']) > len(opts['cachedir']) + 10:
         opts['sock_dir'] = os.path.join(opts['cachedir'], '.salt-unix')
 
+    opts['token_dir'] = os.path.join(opts['cachedir'], 'tokens')
+    opts['syndic_dir'] = os.path.join(opts['cachedir'], 'syndics')
+    # Make sure ext_mods gets set if it is an untrue value
+    # (here to catch older bad configs)
     opts['extension_modules'] = (
         opts.get('extension_modules') or
         os.path.join(opts['cachedir'], 'extmods')
     )
-    opts['token_dir'] = os.path.join(opts['cachedir'], 'tokens')
-    opts['syndic_dir'] = os.path.join(opts['cachedir'], 'syndics')
+    # Set up the utils_dirs location from the extension_modules location
+    opts['utils_dirs'] = (
+        opts.get('utils_dirs') or
+        [os.path.join(opts['extension_modules'], 'utils')]
+    )
+
+    # Insert all 'utils_dirs' directories to the system path
+    insert_system_path(opts, opts['utils_dirs'])
+
     if (overrides or {}).get('ipc_write_buffer', '') == 'dynamic':
         opts['ipc_write_buffer'] = _DFLT_IPC_WBUFFER
     if 'ipc_write_buffer' not in overrides: