diff --git a/manifests/osds.pp b/manifests/osds.pp
index f20b6035..600ec991 100644
--- a/manifests/osds.pp
+++ b/manifests/osds.pp
@@ -27,6 +27,24 @@
 # [*defaults*] A config hash
 #   Optional. Defaults to a empty hash
 #
-class ceph::osds($args = {}, $defaults = {}) {
+# [*pid_max*] Value for pid_max. Defaults to undef. Optional.
+#   For OSD nodes it is recommended that you raise pid_max above the
+#   default value because you may hit the system max during
+#   recovery. The recommended value is the absolute max for pid_max: 4194303
+#   http://docs.ceph.com/docs/jewel/rados/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-osd/
+#
+class ceph::osds(
+  $args = {},
+  $defaults = {},
+  $pid_max = $::ceph::profile::params::pid_max,
+)
+{
   create_resources(ceph::osd, $args, $defaults)
+
+  if $pid_max {
+    $sysctl_settings = {
+      'kernel.pid_max' => { value => $pid_max },
+    }
+    ensure_resources(sysctl::value,$sysctl_settings)
+  }
 }
diff --git a/manifests/profile/params.pp b/manifests/profile/params.pp
index fc340c84..52c16eef 100644
--- a/manifests/profile/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/profile/params.pp
@@ -145,6 +145,12 @@
 #   Set to 0 to disable it.
 #   Optional. Default provided by Ceph
 #
+# [*pid_max*] Value for pid_max. Defaults to undef. Optional.
+#   For OSD nodes it is recommended that you raise pid_max above the
+#   default value because you may hit the system max during
+#   recovery. The recommended value is the absolute max for pid_max: 4194303
+#   http://docs.ceph.com/docs/jewel/rados/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-osd/
+#
 # [*rgw_keystone_version*] The api version for keystone.
 #   Possible values 'v2.0', 'v3'
 #   Optional. Default is 'v2.0'
@@ -199,6 +205,7 @@ class ceph::profile::params (
   $osd_recovery_max_single_start = undef,
   $osd_max_scrubs = undef,
   $osd_op_threads = undef,
+  $pid_max = undef,
   $rgw_keystone_version = 'v2.0',
   $rgw_keystone_admin_domain = undef,
   $rgw_keystone_admin_project = undef,
diff --git a/metadata.json b/metadata.json
index 3ee53ac8..fe9e2338 100644
--- a/metadata.json
+++ b/metadata.json
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@
     {
       "name": "puppetlabs/stdlib",
       "version_requirement": ">=4.10.0 <5.0.0"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "duritong/sysctl",
+      "version_requirement": ">=0.0.1 <1.0.0"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/allow_changing_pidmax_on_osd_nodes-d1a98328f666a895.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/allow_changing_pidmax_on_osd_nodes-d1a98328f666a895.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..96059cdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/allow_changing_pidmax_on_osd_nodes-d1a98328f666a895.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+features:
+  - On OSD nodes you can run out of PIDs during a recovery.
+    Therefore it is recommended that you raise pid_max. This
+    change makes that possible with an enablement flag and
+    the ability to set the value.
diff --git a/spec/classes/ceph_osds_spec.rb b/spec/classes/ceph_osds_spec.rb
index 33ba8028..5ca3deed 100644
--- a/spec/classes/ceph_osds_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/ceph_osds_spec.rb
@@ -39,14 +39,25 @@ describe 'ceph::osds' do
       is_expected.to contain_ceph__osd('/dev/sdb').with(
         :ensure  => 'present',
         :journal => '/srv/journal',
-        :cluster => 'CLUSTER'
-    )
+        :cluster => 'CLUSTER')
       is_expected.to contain_ceph__osd('/srv/data').with(
         :ensure  => 'present',
         :cluster => 'CLUSTER')
+      is_expected.not_to contain_sysctl__value('kernel.pid_max')
     }
   end
 
+  context 'sets pid_max when enabled' do
+    let :params do
+    {
+      :pid_max => 123456,
+    }
+    end
+    it do
+      is_expected.to contain_sysctl__value('kernel.pid_max').with_value(123456)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe 'Ubuntu' do
     let :facts do
       {