diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 557806f1..60487643 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 #    should the daemons log verbose messages. Optional. Defaults to 'False'
 #  [*debug*]
 #    should the daemons log debug messages. Optional. Defaults to 'False'
+# [*rpc_backend*]
+# (optional) what rpc/queuing service to use
+# Defaults to impl_kombu (rabbitmq)
+#
 #  [*rabbit_host*]
 #    ip or hostname of the rabbit server. Optional. Defaults to '127.0.0.1'
 #  [*rabbit_port*]
@@ -25,21 +29,52 @@
 #  [*rabbit_virtualhost*]
 #    virtualhost to use. Optional. Defaults to '/'
 #
+# [*qpid_hostname*]
+# [*qpid_port*]
+# [*qpid_username*]
+# [*qpid_password*]
+# [*qpid_heartbeat*]
+# [*qpid_protocol*]
+# [*qpid_tcp_nodelay*]
+# [*qpid_reconnect*]
+# [*qpid_reconnect_timeout*]
+# [*qpid_reconnect_limit*]
+# [*qpid_reconnect_interval*]
+# [*qpid_reconnect_interval_min*]
+# [*qpid_reconnect_interval_max*]
+# (optional) various QPID options
+#
+
 class ceilometer(
   $metering_secret    = false,
   $package_ensure     = 'present',
   $verbose            = 'False',
   $debug              = 'False',
+  $rpc_backend        = 'ceilometer.openstack.common.rpc.impl_kombu',
   $rabbit_host        = '127.0.0.1',
   $rabbit_port        = 5672,
   $rabbit_hosts       = undef,
   $rabbit_userid      = 'guest',
   $rabbit_password    = '',
   $rabbit_virtualhost = '/',
+  $qpid_hostname = 'localhost',
+  $qpid_port = 5672,
+  $qpid_username = 'guest',
+  $qpid_password = 'guest',
+  $qpid_heartbeat = 60,
+  $qpid_protocol = 'tcp',
+  $qpid_tcp_nodelay = true,
+  $qpid_reconnect = true,
+  $qpid_reconnect_timeout = 0,
+  $qpid_reconnect_limit = 0,
+  $qpid_reconnect_interval_min = 0,
+  $qpid_reconnect_interval_max = 0,
+  $qpid_reconnect_interval = 0
 ) {
 
   validate_string($metering_secret)
 
+
   include ceilometer::params
 
   File {
@@ -79,31 +114,60 @@ class ceilometer(
 
   Package['ceilometer-common'] -> Ceilometer_config<||>
 
-  if $rabbit_hosts {
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_host': ensure => absent }
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_port': ensure => absent }
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts':
-      value => join($rabbit_hosts, ',')
-    }
-  } else {
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_host': value => $rabbit_host }
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_port': value => $rabbit_port }
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts':
-      value => "${rabbit_host}:${rabbit_port}"
+  if $rpc_backend == 'ceilometer.openstack.common.rpc.impl_kombu' {
+
+    if $rabbit_hosts {
+      ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_host': ensure => absent }
+      ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_port': ensure => absent }
+      ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts':
+        value => join($rabbit_hosts, ',')
+      }
+      } else {
+      ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_host': value => $rabbit_host }
+      ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_port': value => $rabbit_port }
+      ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts':
+        value => "${rabbit_host}:${rabbit_port}"
+      }
     }
+
+      if size($rabbit_hosts) > 1 {
+        ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_ha_queues': value => true }
+      } else {
+        ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_ha_queues': value => false }
+      }
+
+      ceilometer_config {
+        'DEFAULT/rabbit_userid'          : value => $rabbit_userid;
+        'DEFAULT/rabbit_password'        : value => $rabbit_password;
+        'DEFAULT/rabbit_virtualhost'     : value => $rabbit_virtualhost;
+      }
   }
 
-  if size($rabbit_hosts) > 1 {
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_ha_queues': value => true }
-  } else {
-    ceilometer_config { 'DEFAULT/rabbit_ha_queues': value => false }
+  if $rpc_backend == 'ceilometer.openstack.common.rpc.impl_qpid' {
+
+    ceilometer_config {
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_hostname': value => $qpid_hostname;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_port': value => $qpid_port;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_username': value => $qpid_username;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_password': value => $qpid_password;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_heartbeat': value => $qpid_heartbeat;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_protocol': value => $qpid_protocol;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_tcp_nodelay': value => $qpid_tcp_nodelay;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect': value => $qpid_reconnect;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_timeout': value => $qpid_reconnect_timeout;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_limit': value => $qpid_reconnect_limit;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_interval_min': value => $qpid_reconnect_interval_min;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_interval_max': value => $qpid_reconnect_interval_max;
+      'DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_interval': value => $qpid_reconnect_interval;
+    }
+
   }
 
+  # Once we got here, we can act as an honey badger on the rpc used.
+
   ceilometer_config {
+    'DEFAULT/rpc_backend'            : value => $rpc_backend;
     'DEFAULT/metering_secret'        : value => $metering_secret;
-    'DEFAULT/rabbit_userid'          : value => $rabbit_userid;
-    'DEFAULT/rabbit_password'        : value => $rabbit_password;
-    'DEFAULT/rabbit_virtualhost'     : value => $rabbit_virtualhost;
     'DEFAULT/debug'                  : value => $debug;
     'DEFAULT/verbose'                : value => $verbose;
     'DEFAULT/log_dir'                : value => $::ceilometer::params::log_dir;
diff --git a/spec/classes/ceilometer_init_spec.rb b/spec/classes/ceilometer_init_spec.rb
index 054f67db..108b852f 100644
--- a/spec/classes/ceilometer_init_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/ceilometer_init_spec.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ describe 'ceilometer' do
       :package_ensure     => 'present',
       :verbose            => 'False',
       :debug              => 'False',
+    }
+  end
+
+  let :rabbit_params do
+    {
       :rabbit_host        => '127.0.0.1',
       :rabbit_port        => 5672,
       :rabbit_userid      => 'guest',
@@ -16,26 +21,44 @@ describe 'ceilometer' do
     }
   end
 
+  let :qpid_params do
+    {
+      :rpc_backend   => "ceilometer.openstack.common.rpc.impl_qpid",
+      :qpid_hostname => 'localhost',
+      :qpid_port     => 5672,
+      :qpid_username => 'guest',
+      :qpid_password  => 'guest',
+    }
+  end
+
   shared_examples_for 'ceilometer' do
 
     context 'with rabbit_host parameter' do
+      before { params.merge!( rabbit_params ) }
       it_configures 'a ceilometer base installation'
       it_configures 'rabbit without HA support (with backward compatibility)'
     end
 
     context 'with rabbit_hosts parameter' do
       context 'with one server' do
-        before { params.merge!( :rabbit_hosts => ['127.0.0.1:5672'] ) }
+        before { params.merge!( rabbit_params ).merge!( :rabbit_hosts => ['127.0.0.1:5672'] ) }
         it_configures 'a ceilometer base installation'
         it_configures 'rabbit without HA support (without backward compatibility)'
       end
 
       context 'with multiple servers' do
-        before { params.merge!( :rabbit_hosts => ['rabbit1:5672', 'rabbit2:5672'] ) }
+        before { params.merge!( rabbit_params ).merge!( :rabbit_hosts => ['rabbit1:5672', 'rabbit2:5672'] ) }
         it_configures 'a ceilometer base installation'
         it_configures 'rabbit with HA support'
       end
     end
+
+    context 'with qpid' do
+      before {params.merge!( qpid_params ) }
+      it_configures 'a ceilometer base installation'
+      it_configures 'qpid support'
+    end
+
   end
 
   shared_examples_for 'a ceilometer base installation' do
@@ -94,12 +117,6 @@ describe 'ceilometer' do
       it { expect { should raise_error(Puppet::Error) } }
     end
 
-    it 'configures rabbit' do
-      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_userid').with_value( params[:rabbit_userid] )
-      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_password').with_value( params[:rabbit_password] )
-      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_virtualhost').with_value( params[:rabbit_virtualhost] )
-    end
-
     it 'configures debug and verbose' do
       should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/debug').with_value( params[:debug] )
       should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/verbose').with_value( params[:verbose] )
@@ -115,6 +132,13 @@ describe 'ceilometer' do
   end
 
   shared_examples_for 'rabbit without HA support (with backward compatibility)' do
+
+    it 'configures rabbit' do
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_userid').with_value( params[:rabbit_userid] )
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_password').with_value( params[:rabbit_password] )
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_virtualhost').with_value( params[:rabbit_virtualhost] )
+    end
+
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_host').with_value( params[:rabbit_host] ) }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_port').with_value( params[:rabbit_port] ) }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts').with_value( "#{params[:rabbit_host]}:#{params[:rabbit_port]}" ) }
@@ -122,6 +146,13 @@ describe 'ceilometer' do
   end
 
   shared_examples_for 'rabbit without HA support (without backward compatibility)' do
+
+    it 'configures rabbit' do
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_userid').with_value( params[:rabbit_userid] )
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_password').with_value( params[:rabbit_password] )
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_virtualhost').with_value( params[:rabbit_virtualhost] )
+    end
+
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_host').with_ensure('absent') }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_port').with_ensure('absent') }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts').with_value( params[:rabbit_hosts].join(',') ) }
@@ -129,12 +160,46 @@ describe 'ceilometer' do
   end
 
   shared_examples_for 'rabbit with HA support' do
+
+    it 'configures rabbit' do
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_userid').with_value( params[:rabbit_userid] )
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_password').with_value( params[:rabbit_password] )
+      should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_virtualhost').with_value( params[:rabbit_virtualhost] )
+    end
+
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_host').with_ensure('absent') }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_port').with_ensure('absent') }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_hosts').with_value( params[:rabbit_hosts].join(',') ) }
     it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rabbit_ha_queues').with_value('true') }
   end
 
+  shared_examples_for 'qpid support' do
+    context("with default parameters") do
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect').with_value(true) }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_timeout').with_value('0') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_limit').with_value('0') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_interval_min').with_value('0') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_interval_max').with_value('0') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_reconnect_interval').with_value('0') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_heartbeat').with_value('60') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_protocol').with_value('tcp') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_tcp_nodelay').with_value(true) }
+      end
+
+    context("with mandatory parameters set") do
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/rpc_backend').with_value('ceilometer.openstack.common.rpc.impl_qpid') }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_hostname').with_value( params[:qpid_hostname] ) }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_port').with_value( params[:qpid_port] ) }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_username').with_value( params[:qpid_username]) }
+      it { should contain_ceilometer_config('DEFAULT/qpid_password').with_value(params[:qpid_password]) }
+    end
+
+    context("failing if the rpc_backend is not present") do
+      before { params.delete( :rpc_backend) }
+      it { expect { should raise_error(Puppet::Error) } }
+    end
+  end
+
   context 'on Debian platforms' do
     let :facts do
       { :osfamily => 'Debian' }