diff --git a/include/actsim_agent/log_parser.hpp b/include/actsim_agent/log_parser.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1018ef2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/actsim_agent/log_parser.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+
+/*************************************************************************
+ *
+ *  This file is part of the ACT library
+ *
+ *  Copyright (c) 2024 Fabian Posch
+ *
+ *  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ *  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ *  as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ *  of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ *  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ *  Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+ *
+ **************************************************************************
+ */
+
+#ifndef __LOG_PARSER__
+#define __LOG_PARSER__
+
+#include <cluster/artifact.hpp>
+#include "agent_artifact.hpp"
+
+class LogParser {
+
+    public:
+
+    LogParser(std::unique_ptr<DBSimOutputArtifact>& artifact, std::shared_ptr<pl::SimOutputArtifact> reference);
+    LogParser(std::unique_ptr<DBSimOutputArtifact>& artifact);
+
+    void parse_log(const std::string& line);
+    void parse_error(const std::string& line);
+
+    private:
+
+    std::unique_ptr<DBSimOutputArtifact>& artifact;
+
+    std::shared_ptr<pl::SimOutputArtifact> reference;
+    bool has_reference;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/actsim_agent/log_parser.cpp b/src/actsim_agent/log_parser.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3df8eef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/actsim_agent/log_parser.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+
+/*************************************************************************
+ *
+ *  This file is part of the ACT library
+ *
+ *  Copyright (c) 2024 Fabian Posch
+ *
+ *  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ *  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ *  as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ *  of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ *  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ *  Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+ *
+ **************************************************************************
+ */
+
+#include "log_parser.hpp"
+
+LogParser::LogParser(std::unique_ptr<DBSimOutputArtifact>& artifact, std::shared_ptr<pl::SimOutputArtifact> reference) : artifact(artifact) {
+    this->reference = reference;
+    this->has_reference = true;
+}
+
+LogParser::LogParser(std::unique_ptr<DBSimOutputArtifact>& artifact) : artifact(artifact) {
+    this->has_reference = false;
+};
+
+void LogParser::parse_log(const std::string& line) {
+    this->artifact->add_log_output(line);
+}
+
+void LogParser::parse_error(const std::string& line) {
+    this->artifact->add_err_output(line);
+}
diff --git a/src/actsim_agent/worker.cpp b/src/actsim_agent/worker.cpp
index 0ab9dbc..63f6302 100644
--- a/src/actsim_agent/worker.cpp
+++ b/src/actsim_agent/worker.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include "util.h"
+#include "log_parser.hpp"
 #include "worker.hpp"
 
 Worker::Worker(TaskInterface& interface) : interface(interface) {}
@@ -328,6 +329,14 @@ std::unique_ptr<OutputType> Worker::perform_task(std::unique_ptr<InputType>& tas
             task->source_config
         );
 
+        // create the output parser
+        std::unique_ptr<LogParser> parser;
+        if (task->reference == 0) {
+            parser = std::make_unique<LogParser>(result);
+        } else {
+            parser = std::make_unique<LogParser>(result, this->interface.get_reference(task->reference));
+        }
+
         std::vector<std::string>& commands = task->get_content()[0].commands;
         size_t command_n = 0;
         size_t last_pos = 0;
@@ -389,7 +398,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<OutputType> Worker::perform_task(std::unique_ptr<InputType>& tas
 
                     // make sure any remaining output is added to the log
                     if (stdout_buf != "") {
-                        result->add_log_output(stdout_buf);
+                        parser->parse_log(stdout_buf);
                     }
 
                     DEBUG_PRINT("STDOUT was closed by child");
@@ -404,7 +413,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<OutputType> Worker::perform_task(std::unique_ptr<InputType>& tas
                     auto pos = stdout_buf.find('\n');
                     while (pos != std::string::npos) {
                         DEBUG_PRINT("Log output line was added");
-                        result->add_log_output(stdout_buf.substr(0, pos));
+                        parser->parse_log(stdout_buf.substr(0, pos));
 
                         if ((pos + 1) < stdout_buf.length()) {
                             stdout_buf = stdout_buf.substr(pos+1, stdout_buf.length());
@@ -439,7 +448,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<OutputType> Worker::perform_task(std::unique_ptr<InputType>& tas
 
                     // make sure any remaining output is added to the log
                     if (stderr_buf != "") {
-                        result->add_err_output(stderr_buf);
+                        parser->parse_error(stderr_buf);
                     }
 
                     DEBUG_PRINT("STDERR was closed by child");
@@ -454,7 +463,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<OutputType> Worker::perform_task(std::unique_ptr<InputType>& tas
                     auto pos = stderr_buf.find('\n');
                     while (pos != std::string::npos) {
                         DEBUG_PRINT("Error output line was added");
-                        result->add_err_output(stderr_buf.substr(0, pos));
+                        parser->parse_error(stderr_buf.substr(0, pos));
 
                         if ((pos + 1) < stderr_buf.length()) {
                             stderr_buf = stderr_buf.substr(pos+1, stderr_buf.length());