diff --git a/manifests/storage/ext4.pp b/manifests/storage/ext4.pp
index c8f7462e..35fd3515 100644
--- a/manifests/storage/ext4.pp
+++ b/manifests/storage/ext4.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-# follow the instructions for creating a loopback device
-# for storage from: https://docs.openstack.org/swift/latest/development_saio.html
-#
-# this define needs to be sent a refresh signal to do anything
 #
 # === Parameters:
 #
@@ -15,39 +11,76 @@
 #   Defaults to '/srv/node', base directory where disks are mounted to
 #
 # [*byte_size*]
-#   (optional) The byte size that dd uses when it creates the file system.
-#   Defaults to '1024', block size for the disk.  For very large partitions, this should be larger
-#   It is recommend to use 1024 to ensure that the metadata can fit in a single inode.
+#   (optional) Byte size to use for every inode in the created filesystem.
+#   Defaults to '1024'. It is recommended to use 1024 to ensure that
+#   the metadata can fit in a single inode.
 #
 # [*loopback*]
 #   (optional) Define if the device must be mounted as a loopback or not
 #   Defaults to false.
 #
+# [*mount_type*]
+#   (optional) Define if the device is mounted by the device partition path,
+#   UUID, or filesystem label.
+#   Defaults to 'path'.
+#
+# [*manage_filesystem*]
+#   (optional) If set to false, skip creationg of EXT4 filesystem. This is to
+#   set to false only after the server is fully setup, or if the filesystem was
+#   created outside of puppet.
+#   Defaults to true.
+#
+# [*label*]
+#   (optional) Filesystem label.
+#   Defaults to $name.
+#
 define swift::storage::ext4(
-  Stdlib::Absolutepath $device       = "/dev/${name}",
-  $byte_size                         = '1024',
-  Stdlib::Absolutepath $mnt_base_dir = '/srv/node',
-  Boolean $loopback                  = false
+  Stdlib::Absolutepath $device              = "/dev/${name}",
+  $byte_size                                = '1024',
+  Stdlib::Absolutepath $mnt_base_dir        = '/srv/node',
+  Boolean $loopback                         = false,
+  Enum['path', 'uuid', 'label'] $mount_type = 'path',
+  Boolean $manage_filesystem                = true,
+  String[1] $label                          = $name,
 ) {
 
   include swift::deps
-  # does this have to be refreshonly?
-  # how can I know if this drive has been formatted?
-  exec { "mkfs-${name}":
-    command     => ['mkfs.ext4', '-I', $byte_size, '-F', $device],
-    path        => ['/sbin/'],
-    refreshonly => true,
-    before      => Anchor['swift::config::end'],
+
+  case $mount_type {
+    'uuid': {
+      $mount_device = dig44($facts, ['partitions', $device, 'uuid'])
+      if !$mount_device {
+        fail("Unable to fetch uuid of ${device}")
+      }
+    }
+    'label': {
+      $mount_device = "LABEL=${label}"
+    }
+    default: { # path
+      $mount_device = $device
+    }
+  }
+
+  if $manage_filesystem {
+    $mkfs_command = ['mkfs.ext4', '-I', $byte_size, '-F']
+    $mkfs_label_opt = $mount_type ? {
+      'label' => ['-L', $label],
+      default => []
+    }
+    exec { "mkfs-${name}":
+      command     => $mkfs_command + $mkfs_label_opt + [$device],
+      path        => ['/sbin/', '/usr/sbin/'],
+      refreshonly => true,
+      before      => Anchor['swift::config::end'],
+    }
+
+    Exec["mkfs-${name}"] ~> Swift::Storage::Mount<| title == $name |>
   }
 
   swift::storage::mount { $name:
-    device       => $device,
+    device       => $mount_device,
     mnt_base_dir => $mnt_base_dir,
     loopback     => $loopback,
     fstype       => 'ext4',
   }
-
-  Exec<| title == "mkfs-${name}" |>
-  ~> Swift::Storage::Mount<| title == $name |>
-
 }
diff --git a/manifests/storage/xfs.pp b/manifests/storage/xfs.pp
index fab3bf63..25795741 100644
--- a/manifests/storage/xfs.pp
+++ b/manifests/storage/xfs.pp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ define swift::storage::xfs(
       before  => Anchor['swift::config::end'],
     }
     Package<| title == 'xfsprogs' |>
-    ~> Exec<| title == "mkfs-${name}" |>
+    ~> Exec["mkfs-${name}"]
     ~> Swift::Storage::Mount<| title == $name |>
   } else {
     Package<| title == 'xfsprogs' |>
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ext4-interface-sync-daaef41347bfe3e1.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ext4-interface-sync-daaef41347bfe3e1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..024f5004
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ext4-interface-sync-daaef41347bfe3e1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The following parameters have been added to the ``swift::storage::ext4``
+    defined resource type.
+
+    - ``mount_type``
+    - ``manage_filesystem``
+    - ``label``
diff --git a/spec/defines/swift_storage_ext4_spec.rb b/spec/defines/swift_storage_ext4_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6845c2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/defines/swift_storage_ext4_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe 'swift::storage::ext4' do
+  let :title do
+    'foo'
+  end
+
+  shared_examples 'swift::storage::ext4' do
+    describe 'when a device is specified' do
+      let :default_params do
+        {
+         :device       => "/dev/#{title}",
+         :byte_size    => '1024',
+         :mnt_base_dir => '/srv/node',
+         :loopback     => false,
+         :device_type  => 'path'
+        }
+      end
+
+      [{},
+       {
+         :device       => '/dev/foo',
+         :byte_size    => 1,
+         :mnt_base_dir => '/mnt/bar',
+         :loopback     => true
+       }
+      ].each do |param_set|
+
+        describe "#{param_set == {} ? "using default" : "specifying"} class parameters" do
+          let :param_hash do
+            default_params.merge(param_set)
+          end
+
+          let :params do
+            param_set
+          end
+
+          it { is_expected.to contain_exec("mkfs-foo").with(
+            :command     => ['mkfs.ext4', '-I', param_hash[:byte_size], '-F', param_hash[:device]],
+            :path        => ['/sbin/', '/usr/sbin/'],
+            :refreshonly => true,
+          )}
+
+          it { is_expected.to contain_swift__storage__mount(title).with(
+             :device       => param_hash[:device],
+             :mnt_base_dir => param_hash[:mnt_base_dir],
+             :loopback     => param_hash[:loopback],
+          )}
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with mount type label' do
+        let :params do
+          {
+            :mount_type => :label
+          }
+        end
+
+        let :param_hash do
+          default_params.merge(params)
+        end
+
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec("mkfs-foo").with(
+          :command     => ['mkfs.ext4', '-I', param_hash[:byte_size], '-F', '-L', title, param_hash[:device]],
+          :path        => ['/sbin/', '/usr/sbin/'],
+          :refreshonly => true,
+        )}
+
+        it { is_expected.to contain_swift__storage__mount(title).with(
+           :device       => "LABEL=#{title}",
+           :mnt_base_dir => param_hash[:mnt_base_dir],
+           :loopback     => param_hash[:loopback],
+        )}
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  on_supported_os({
+    :supported_os => OSDefaults.get_supported_os
+  }).each do |os,facts|
+    context "on #{os}" do
+      let (:facts) do
+        facts.merge(OSDefaults.get_facts())
+      end
+
+      it_configures 'swift::storage::ext4'
+    end
+  end
+end