diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b330155..5eae6cc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,29 @@ This Minetest mod offers changeable player skins with a graphical interface for
 - Full [3d_armor](https://forum.minetest.net/viewtopic.php?t=4654) support
 - Compatible to 1.0 and 1.8 Minecraft skins format
 
+
+## Installing skins
+
+### Download from the database
+
+1) Get Minetest 5.1.0-dev-cb00632 or newer
+2) Uncomment the lines in `init.lua` mentioning `skins_updater.lua`
+3) Start your world and wait until it reports that the skins were downloaded.
+4) Let the Minetest server shut down
+5) Comment the lines in `init.lua` again
+6) Start the server again
+
+You might want to run `minetest` in a Terminal/Console window to check the log output instantly.
+
+### Manual addition
+
+1) Copy your skin textures to `textures` as documented in `textures/readme.txt`
+2) Create `meta/character_<name>.txt` with the following fields (separated by new lines):
+    * Skin name
+    * Author
+    * Skin license
+
+
 ## License:
 - GPLv3
 
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index c836486..afa0aa6 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ if minetest.get_modpath("sfinv") then
 	dofile(skins.modpath.."/sfinv_page.lua")
 end
 
+-- ie.loadfile does not exist?
+--[[skins.ie = minetest.request_insecure_environment()
+skins.http = minetest.request_http_api()
+dofile(skins.modpath.."/skins_updater.lua")
+skins.ie = nil
+skins.http = nil]]
+
 -- 3d_armor compatibility
 if minetest.global_exists("armor") then
 	skins.armor_loaded = true
diff --git a/skins_updater.lua b/skins_updater.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b0f039
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skins_updater.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+-- Skins update script
+-- Load it in init.lua or write a frontend GUI/chatcommand for it. Good luck.
+
+local _ID_ = "Lua Skins Updater"
+local _SKIN_PAGE_START_ = 1   -- Starting page to fetch the skins
+local _SKIN_PAGE_END_   = nil -- End page number (nil = all skins)
+
+if not core.features.httpfetch_binary_data then
+	error(_ID_ .. " requires the feature 'httpfetch_binary_data'. Update Minetest.")
+end
+
+local ie, http = skins.ie, skins.http
+if not ie or not http then
+	error(_ID_ .. " requires the insecure environment. " ..
+		"Please add skinsdb to `secure.trusted_mods` in minetest.conf")
+end
+
+-- http://minetest.fensta.bplaced.net/api/apidoku.md
+local root_url = "http://minetest.fensta.bplaced.net"
+local page_url = root_url .. "/api/v2/get.json.php?getlist&page=%i&outformat=base64" -- [1] = Page#
+local preview_url = root_url .. "/skins/1/%i.png" -- [1] = ID
+
+local mod_path = skins.modpath
+local meta_path = mod_path .. "/meta/"
+local skins_path = mod_path .. "/textures/"
+
+-- Fancy debug wrapper to download an URL
+local function fetch_url(url, callback)
+	http.fetch({
+		url = url,
+		user_agent = _ID_
+	}, function(result)
+		if result.succeeded then
+			if result.code ~= 200 then
+				core.log("warning", ("%s: STATUS=%i URL=%s"):format(
+					_ID_, result.code, url))
+			end
+			return callback(result.data)
+		end
+		core.log("warning", ("%s: Failed to download URL=%s"):format(
+			_ID_, url))
+	end)
+end
+
+-- Insecure workaround since meta/ and textures/ cannot be written to
+local function unsafe_file_write(path, contents)
+	local f = ie.io.open(path, "w")
+	f:write(contents)
+	f:close()
+end
+
+-- Takes a valid skin table from the Skins Database and saves it
+local function safe_single_skin(skin)
+	local meta = {
+		skin.name,
+		skin.author,
+		skin.license
+	}
+
+	local name =  "character_" .. skin.id
+
+	-- core.safe_file_write does not work here
+	unsafe_file_write(
+		meta_path .. name .. ".txt",
+		table.concat(meta, "\n")
+	)
+
+	unsafe_file_write(
+		skins_path .. name .. ".png",
+		core.decode_base64(skin.img)
+	)
+	fetch_url(preview_url:format(skin.id), function(preview)
+		unsafe_file_write(skins_path .. name .. "_preview.png", preview)
+	end)
+	core.log("action", ("%s: Completed skin %s"):format(_ID_, name))
+end
+
+-- Get total pages since it'll just return the last page all over again
+local function get_pages_count(callback)
+	fetch_url(page_url:format(1) .. "&per_page=5", function(data)
+		local list = core.parse_json(data)
+		print(dump(list))
+		callback(list.pages)
+	end)
+end
+	
+-- Just fetch them all. YOLO
+get_pages_count(function(pages_total)
+	local start_page = _SKIN_PAGE_START_ or 1
+	local end_page = math.min(pages_total, _SKIN_PAGE_END_ or pages_total)
+
+	for page_n = 1, end_page do
+		local page_cpy = page_n
+		fetch_url(page_url:format(page_n), function(data)
+			core.log("action", ("%s: Page %i"):format(_ID_, page_cpy))
+
+			local list = core.parse_json(data)
+			for i, skin in pairs(list.skins) do
+				assert(skin.type == "image/png")
+				assert(skin.id ~= "")
+
+				if skin.id ~= 1 then -- Skin 1 is bundled with skinsdb
+					safe_single_skin(skin)
+				end
+			end
+
+			if page_cpy == end_page then
+				core.log("action", _ID_ .. " finished downloading all skins. " ..
+					"Please comment out this script to reduce server traffic.")
+				core.request_shutdown("Reloading skinsdb media cache after download",
+					true, 3 --[[give some time for pending requests]])
+			end
+		end)
+	end
+end)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/textures/readme.txt b/textures/readme.txt
index 9add1c7..93776ed 100644
--- a/textures/readme.txt
+++ b/textures/readme.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-In this folder the skin files could be placed according the next file naming convention
-character_[number-or-name].png - Public skin, available for all users
-player_[nick].png or player_[nick]_[number-or-name].png - one or multiple private skins for player "nick"
-*_preview.png - Preview files for public and private skins
+In this folder the skin files could be placed according the following file naming convention.
+
+Public skin available for all users:
+	character_[number-or-name].png
+
+One or multiple private skins for player "nick":
+	player_[nick].png or
+	player_[nick]_[number-or-name].png
+
+Preview files for public and private skins:
+	character_*_preview.png or
+	player_*_*_preview.png