diff --git a/manifests/params.pp b/manifests/params.pp
index 907b1ebdf..4651d6f01 100644
--- a/manifests/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/params.pp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
   $management_ssl              = true
   $package_apt_pin             = ''
   $package_gpg_key             = 'https://www.rabbitmq.com/rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc'
-  $repos_ensure                = true
+  $repos_ensure                = false
   $manage_repos                = undef
   $service_ensure              = 'running'
   $service_manage              = true
diff --git a/spec/classes/rabbitmq_spec.rb b/spec/classes/rabbitmq_spec.rb
index fabd061f2..a538173bf 100644
--- a/spec/classes/rabbitmq_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/rabbitmq_spec.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
   context 'on Debian' do
     with_debian_facts
+    let(:params) {{ :repos_ensure => true }}
     it 'includes rabbitmq::repo::apt' do
       should contain_class('rabbitmq::repo::apt')
     end
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@
   end
 
   context 'on Debian' do
-    let(:params) {{ :manage_repos => true }}
+    let(:params) {{ :manage_repos => true, :repos_ensure => true }}
     with_debian_facts
 
     it 'includes rabbitmq::repo::apt' do
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@
 
   context 'on Redhat' do
     with_redhat_facts
+    let(:params) {{ :repos_ensure => true }}
     it 'includes rabbitmq::repo::rhel' do
       should contain_class('rabbitmq::repo::rhel')
       should contain_exec('rpm --import https://www.rabbitmq.com/rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc')
@@ -282,9 +284,9 @@
   end
 
   context 'on Redhat' do
-    let(:params) {{ :manage_repos => true }}
+    let(:params) {{ :manage_repos => true, :repos_ensure => true }}
     with_redhat_facts
-    it 'does import repo public key when manage_repos is true' do
+    it 'does import repo public key when manage_repos and repos_ensure are true' do
       should contain_class('rabbitmq::repo::rhel')
       should contain_exec('rpm --import https://www.rabbitmq.com/rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc')
     end
@@ -1419,7 +1421,8 @@
     describe "repo management on #{distro}" do
       describe 'imports the key' do
         let(:facts) { osfacts }
-        let(:params) {{ :package_gpg_key => 'https://www.rabbitmq.com/rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc' }}
+        let(:params) {{ :package_gpg_key => 'https://www.rabbitmq.com/rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc',
+                        :manage_repos => true, :repos_ensure => true }}
 
         it { should contain_exec("rpm --import #{params[:package_gpg_key]}").with(
           'path' => ['/bin','/usr/bin','/sbin','/usr/sbin']