diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 5967e5c..4314a36 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
   $conffile           = $xinetd::params::conffile,
   $package_name       = $xinetd::params::package_name,
   $package_ensure     = $xinetd::params::package_ensure,
+  $service_ensure     = $xinetd::params::service_ensure,
   $service_name       = $xinetd::params::service_name,
   $service_restart    = $xinetd::params::service_restart,
   $service_status     = $xinetd::params::service_status,
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@
   }
 
   service { $service_name:
-    ensure     => running,
+    ensure     => $service_ensure,
     enable     => true,
     hasrestart => $service_hasrestart,
     hasstatus  => $service_hasstatus,
diff --git a/manifests/params.pp b/manifests/params.pp
index 023045e..ea1bcb6 100644
--- a/manifests/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/params.pp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 class xinetd::params {
   $default_user   = 'root'
   $package_ensure = 'installed'
+  $service_ensure = 'running'
 
   case $::osfamily {
     'FreeBSD': { $default_group = 'wheel' }