diff --git a/manifests/client.pp b/manifests/client.pp
index b52af79d..79b8f3eb 100644
--- a/manifests/client.pp
+++ b/manifests/client.pp
@@ -9,14 +9,20 @@
 #   Defaults to 'present'.
 #
 class swift::client (
-  $ensure = 'present'
+  $ensure = $::swift::client_package_ensure
 ) {
 
+  if $ensure {
+    $real_ensure = $ensure
+  } else {
+    $real_ensure = 'present'
+  }
+
   include ::swift::deps
   include ::swift::params
 
   package { 'swiftclient':
-    ensure => $ensure,
+    ensure => $real_ensure,
     name   => $::swift::params::client_package,
     tag    => ['openstack','swift-support-package']
   }
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 99da904c..1d9b17ae 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class swift(
 
   include ::swift::deps
   include ::swift::params
+  include ::swift::client
 
   if ($swift_hash_path_prefix == undef and $swift_hash_path_suffix == undef) {
     fail('You must specify at least swift_hash_path_prefix or swift_hash_path_suffix')
@@ -71,10 +72,6 @@ class swift(
     }
   }
 
-  class { '::swift::client':
-    ensure => $client_package_ensure;
-  }
-
   File {
     owner   => 'swift',
     group   => 'swift',