diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 6d302a1a..e015ee46 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@
 #   Customise the name of the system service provider; this
 #   also controls the init configuration files that are installed.
 #
+# * `service_type`
+#   The type of service defaults to server, but can also be agent
+#
 # * `service_options`
 #   Extra argument to pass to `vault server`, as per:
 #   `vault server --help`
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@
   Optional[String] $max_lease_ttl      = $::vault::params::max_lease_ttl,
   $disable_mlock                       = $::vault::params::disable_mlock,
   $manage_file_capabilities            = $::vault::params::manage_file_capabilities,
+  $service_type                        = 'server',
   $service_options                     = '',
   $num_procs                           = $::vault::params::num_procs,
   $install_method                      = $::vault::params::install_method,
diff --git a/templates/vault.initd.erb b/templates/vault.initd.erb
index 94eb4bdc..10db97cf 100644
--- a/templates/vault.initd.erb
+++ b/templates/vault.initd.erb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
-# vault - this script manages the vault server
+# vault - this script manages the vault <%= scope['vault::service_type'] %>
 #
 # chkconfig: 3 85 15
 # processname: vault
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ start() {
     touch $logfile $pidfile
     chown <%= scope['vault::user'] %> $logfile $pidfile
     export GOMAXPROCS=${GOMAXPROCS:-<%= scope['vault::num_procs'] %>}
-    daemon --user <%= scope['vault::user'] %> "{ $exec server -config=$conffile $OPTIONS &>> $logfile & }; echo \$! >| $pidfile"
+    daemon --user <%= scope['vault::user'] %> "{ $exec <%= scope['vault::service_type'] %> -config=$conffile $OPTIONS &>> $logfile & }; echo \$! >| $pidfile"
 
     RETVAL=$?
     if [ $RETVAL -eq 0 ]; then
diff --git a/templates/vault.systemd.erb b/templates/vault.systemd.erb
index 9cb1d711..45887fa5 100644
--- a/templates/vault.systemd.erb
+++ b/templates/vault.systemd.erb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ CapabilityBoundingSet=CAP_SYSLOG CAP_IPC_LOCK
 <% end -%>
 NoNewPrivileges=yes
 Environment=GOMAXPROCS=<%= scope['vault::num_procs'] %>
-ExecStart=<%= scope['vault::bin_dir'] %>/vault server -config=<%= scope['vault::config_dir'] %>/config.json <%= scope['vault::service_options'] %>
+ExecStart=<%= scope['vault::bin_dir'] %>/vault <%= scope['vault::service_type'] %>  -config=<%= scope['vault::config_dir'] %>/config.json <%= scope['vault::service_options'] %>
 KillSignal=SIGINT
 TimeoutStopSec=30s
 Restart=on-failure
diff --git a/templates/vault.upstart.erb b/templates/vault.upstart.erb
index 36ecd26a..20fa2c04 100644
--- a/templates/vault.upstart.erb
+++ b/templates/vault.upstart.erb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # this file has been put in place by the jsok/vault Puppet module (https://forge.puppetlabs.com/jsok/vault)
 # any changes will be overwritten if Puppet is run again
 ###########################################################################################################
-description "vault server"
+description "vault <%= scope['vault::service_type'] %>"
 start on (local-filesystems and net-device-up IFACE!=lo)
 stop on runlevel [06]
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ script
     export GOMAXPROCS=${GOMAXPROCS:-<%= scope['vault::num_procs'] %>}
     [ -e /etc/default/$UPSTART_JOB ] && . /etc/default/$UPSTART_JOB
     exec >> $LOG_FILE 2>&1
-    exec start-stop-daemon -u $USER -g $GROUP -p $PID_FILE -x $VAULT -S -- server -config=$CONFIG <%= scope['vault::service_options'] %>
+    exec start-stop-daemon -u $USER -g $GROUP -p $PID_FILE -x $VAULT -S -- <%= scope['vault::service_type'] %> -config=$CONFIG <%= scope['vault::service_options'] %>
 end script
 
 respawn