diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 87e782c..fd093cf 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ systemd_service_enabled: yes
 # Set global service overrides used within the service unit file.
 systemd_service_config_overrides: {}
 
+# Systemd service type. Options include simple, forking, oneshot, etc.
+# https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd.service.html#Type=
+systemd_default_service_type: simple
+
 # The systemd services dictionary is a set of services that will be created. The dictionary
 #  can contain the following options:
 #  `service_name` -- (required) used to define the name of the service. This is typically the name of the executable.
diff --git a/templates/systemd-service.j2 b/templates/systemd-service.j2
index b957f1c..3f538b6 100644
--- a/templates/systemd-service.j2
+++ b/templates/systemd-service.j2
@@ -7,35 +7,34 @@ After={{ item }}
 {% endfor %}
 
 [Service]
-{% set service_type = item.service_type | default('simple') %}
+{% set service_type = item.service_type | default(systemd_default_service_type) %}
 Type={{ service_type }}
 User={{ systemd_user_name }}
 Group={{ systemd_group_name }}
 
-{% if service_type == 'oneshot' and item.program_execstarts is defined %}
-{%   for execstart in item.program_execstarts %}
-ExecStart={{ execstart }}
-{%   endfor %}
-{%   if item.program_execstops is defined %}
-{%     for execstop in item.program_execstops %}
-ExecStop={{ execstop }}
-{%     endfor %}
-{%   endif %}
-{% else %}
-{%   if item.program_override is defined %}
-ExecStart={{ item.program_override }} {{ item.program_config_options | default('') }}
-{%   else %}
-ExecStart={{ systemd_bin_path }}/{{ item.service_name }} {{ item.program_config_options | default('') }}
-{%   endif %}
-{%   if item.program_reload is defined and service_type != 'oneshot' %}
-ExecReload={{ item.program_reload }}
-{%   else %}
-ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
-{%   endif %}
-{%   if item.program_stop is defined %}
-ExecStop={{ item.program_stop }}
-{%   endif %}
+{% set _execstarts = item.execstarts | default(systemd_default_execstarts) %}
+{% if _execstarts is string %}
+{%   set _execstarts = [_execstarts] %}
 {% endif %}
+{% for execstart in _execstarts %}
+ExecStart={{ execstart }}
+{% endfor %}
+
+{% set _execreloads = item.execreloads | default(systemd_default_execreloads) %}
+{% if _execreloads is string %}
+{%   set _execreloads = [_execreloads] %}
+{% endif %}
+{% for execreload in _execreloads %}
+ExecReload={{ execreload }}
+{% endfor %}
+
+{% set _execstops = item.execstops | default(systemd_default_execstops) %}
+{% if _execstops is string %}
+{%   set _execstops = [_execstops] %}
+{% endif %}
+{% for execstop in _execstops %}
+ExecStop={{ execstop }}
+{% endfor %}
 
 # Give a reasonable amount of time for the server to start up/shut down
 TimeoutSec={{ systemd_TimeoutSec }}
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a956d1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2018, Logan Vig <logan2211@gmail.com>
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+systemd_default_execstarts:
+  - "{{ item.program_override | default(systemd_bin_path ~ '/' ~ item.service_name) }} {{ item.program_config_options | default('') }}"
+systemd_default_execreloads:
+  - '/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID'
+systemd_default_execstops: "{{ item.program_stop | default([]) }}"
+