Abstract: An improved method provides fault handling in a distributed IT environment. The distributed IT environment executes at least one workflow application interacting with at least one application by using interface information about the at least one application. The method comprises: storing at least one fault handling description in a implementation-independent meta language associated with the at least one application; associating the interface information with the at least one fault handling description based on at least one defined fault handling policy, created based on at least one service definition; and the workflow application if a fault response from the at least one application is received: retrieving at least one associated fault handling description based on at least one fault handling policy, and interpreting and executing a particular meta language code of the at least one associated fault handling description in order to continue the defined workflow application.