diff --git a/cache_darwin.go b/cache_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..816fa2416
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cache_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package restic
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/restic/restic/debug"
+)
+
+// GetCacheDir returns the cache directory according to XDG basedir spec, see
+// http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html
+func GetCacheDir() (string, error) {
+	xdgcache := os.Getenv("XDG_CACHE_HOME")
+	home := os.Getenv("HOME")
+
+	if xdgcache == "" && home == "" {
+		return "", errors.New("unable to locate cache directory (XDG_CACHE_HOME and HOME unset)")
+	}
+
+	cachedir := ""
+	if xdgcache != "" {
+		cachedir = filepath.Join(xdgcache, "restic")
+	} else if home != "" {
+		cachedir = filepath.Join(home, ".cache", "restic")
+	}
+
+	fi, err := os.Stat(cachedir)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		err = os.MkdirAll(cachedir, 0700)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+
+		fi, err = os.Stat(cachedir)
+		debug.Log("getCacheDir", "create cache dir %v", cachedir)
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if !fi.IsDir() {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cache dir %v is not a directory", cachedir)
+	}
+
+	return cachedir, nil
+}
diff --git a/node_darwin.go b/node_darwin.go
index 38b3d1261..ff1c2d2c1 100644
--- a/node_darwin.go
+++ b/node_darwin.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/restic/restic/debug"
 )
 
 func (node *Node) fill_extra(path string, fi os.FileInfo) (err error) {
@@ -66,3 +68,38 @@ func (node *Node) createCharDevAt(path string) error {
 func (node *Node) createFifoAt(path string) error {
 	return syscall.Mkfifo(path, 0600)
 }
+
+func (node *Node) isNewer(path string, fi os.FileInfo) bool {
+	// if this node has a type other than "file", treat as if content has changed
+	if node.Type != "file" {
+		debug.Log("node.isNewer", "node %v is newer: not file", path)
+		return true
+	}
+
+	// if the name or type has changed, this is surely something different
+	tpe := nodeTypeFromFileInfo(path, fi)
+	if node.Name != fi.Name() || node.Type != tpe {
+		debug.Log("node.isNewer", "node %v is newer: name or type changed", path)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// collect extended stat
+	stat := fi.Sys().(*syscall.Stat_t)
+
+	changeTime := time.Unix(stat.Ctimespec.Unix())
+	inode := stat.Ino
+	size := uint64(stat.Size)
+
+	// if timestamps or inodes differ, content has changed
+	if node.ModTime != fi.ModTime() ||
+		node.ChangeTime != changeTime ||
+		node.Inode != inode ||
+		node.Size != size {
+		debug.Log("node.isNewer", "node %v is newer: timestamp or inode changed", path)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// otherwise the node is assumed to have the same content
+	debug.Log("node.isNewer", "node %v is not newer", path)
+	return false
+}