diff --git a/substrate/environmental/src/lib.rs b/substrate/environmental/src/lib.rs
index 420c22f44f..b7fc47ea50 100644
--- a/substrate/environmental/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/environmental/src/lib.rs
@@ -17,21 +17,21 @@
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::thread::LocalKey;
 
-pub fn using_environment<'a, T: 'a, S, F: FnOnce()>(
+pub fn using_environment<'a, T: 'a, R, S, F: FnOnce() -> R>(
 	global: &'static LocalKey<RefCell<*mut S>>,
 	protected: &'a mut T,
 	f: F
-) {
+) -> R {
 	global.with(|r| *r.borrow_mut() = protected as *mut T as *mut S);
-	f();
+	let r = f();
 	global.with(|r| *r.borrow_mut() = 0 as *mut S);
+	r
 }
 
 pub fn with_environment<'r, R, S, T: 'r, F: FnOnce(&'r mut T) -> R>(
 	global: &'static LocalKey<RefCell<*mut S>>,
 	mutator: F,
 ) -> Option<R> {
-
 	global.with(|r| {
 		let br = r.borrow_mut();
 		if *br != 0 as *mut S {
@@ -63,8 +63,11 @@ macro_rules! declare_generic_environment {
 
 			decl_environment!(GLOBAL: $t<'static> );
 
-			pub fn using<'a: 'b, 'b, F: FnOnce(), T: 'a>(protected: &'b mut T, f: F) {
-				$crate::using_environment(&GLOBAL, protected, f);
+			pub fn using<'a: 'b, 'b, R, F: FnOnce() -> R, T: 'a>(
+				protected: &'b mut T,
+				f: F
+			) -> R {
+				$crate::using_environment(&GLOBAL, protected, f)
 			}
 
 			pub fn with<R, F: for<'r, 't: 'r> FnOnce(&'r mut $t<'t>) -> R>(
@@ -90,10 +93,13 @@ macro_rules! declare_simple_environment {
 		mod $name {
 			use super::*;
 
-			decl_environment!(GLOBAL: $t );
+			decl_environment!(GLOBAL: $t);
 
-			pub fn using<'a: 'b, 'b, F: FnOnce(), T: 'a>(protected: &'b mut T, f: F) {
-				$crate::using_environment(&GLOBAL, protected, f);
+			pub fn using<'a: 'b, 'b, R, F: FnOnce() -> R, T: 'a>(
+				protected: &'b mut T,
+				f: F
+			) -> R {
+				$crate::using_environment(&GLOBAL, protected, f)
 			}
 
 			pub fn with<R, F: for<'r> FnOnce(&'r mut $t -> R)>(
@@ -112,3 +118,7 @@ macro_rules! declare_simple_environment {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// TODO: Docs
+// TODO: Example
+// TODO: Tests
diff --git a/substrate/native-runtime/support/src/lib.rs b/substrate/native-runtime/support/src/lib.rs
index 091e07fbce..2926a20891 100644
--- a/substrate/native-runtime/support/src/lib.rs
+++ b/substrate/native-runtime/support/src/lib.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use std::fmt;
 // TODO: use the real error, not NoError.
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
-struct NoError;
+pub struct NoError;
 impl fmt::Display for NoError {
 	fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result { write!(f, "") }
 }
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@ pub fn set_storage(_key: &[u8], _value: &[u8]) {
 	);
 }
 
+/// Execute the given closure with global function available whose functionality routes into the
+/// externalities `ext`. Forwards the value that the closure returns.
+pub fn with_externalities<R, F: FnOnce() -> R>(ext: &mut Externalities<Error=NoError>, f: F) -> R {
+	let mut h = ExternalitiesHolder { ext };
+	ext::using(&mut h, f)
+}
+
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! impl_stubs {
 	($( $name:ident ),*) => {}
@@ -90,28 +97,23 @@ mod tests {
 	#[test]
 	fn storage_works() {
 		let mut t = TestExternalities { storage: map![], };
-
-		{
-			let mut h = ExternalitiesHolder { ext: &mut t, };
-			ext::using(&mut h, || {
-				assert_eq!(storage(b"hello"), b"".to_vec());
-				set_storage(b"hello", b"world");
-				assert_eq!(storage(b"hello"), b"world".to_vec());
-				assert_eq!(storage(b"foo"), b"".to_vec());
-				set_storage(b"foo", &[1, 2, 3][..]);
-				assert_eq!(storage_into::<[u8; 3]>(b"foo"), Some([1, 2, 3]));
-				assert_eq!(storage_into::<[u8; 3]>(b"hello"), None);
-			});
-		}
+		assert!(with_externalities(&mut t, || {
+			assert_eq!(storage(b"hello"), b"".to_vec());
+			set_storage(b"hello", b"world");
+			assert_eq!(storage(b"hello"), b"world".to_vec());
+			assert_eq!(storage(b"foo"), b"".to_vec());
+			set_storage(b"foo", &[1, 2, 3][..]);
+			assert_eq!(storage_into::<[u8; 3]>(b"foo"), Some([1, 2, 3]));
+			assert_eq!(storage_into::<[u8; 3]>(b"hello"), None);
+			true
+		}));
 
 		t.storage = map![b"foo".to_vec() => b"bar".to_vec()];
 
-		{
-			let mut h = ExternalitiesHolder { ext: &mut t, };
-			ext::using(&mut h, || {
-				assert_eq!(storage(b"hello"), b"".to_vec());
-				assert_eq!(storage(b"foo"), b"bar".to_vec());
-			});
-		}
+		assert!(!with_externalities(&mut t, || {
+			assert_eq!(storage(b"hello"), b"".to_vec());
+			assert_eq!(storage(b"foo"), b"bar".to_vec());
+			false
+		}));
 	}
 }