diff --git a/manifests/backend/rbd.pp b/manifests/backend/rbd.pp
index bec1a884..9ff56de7 100644
--- a/manifests/backend/rbd.pp
+++ b/manifests/backend/rbd.pp
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
 #
 #  $show_image_direct_url - Optional. Enables direct COW from glance to rbd
 #  DEPRECATED, use show_image_direct_url in glance::api
+#
+#  [*package_ensure*]
+#      (optional) Desired ensure state of packages.
+#      accepts latest or specific versions.
+#      Defaults to present.
+#
 
 class glance::backend::rbd(
   $rbd_store_user         = undef,
@@ -19,6 +25,7 @@ class glance::backend::rbd(
   $rbd_store_pool         = 'images',
   $rbd_store_chunk_size   = '8',
   $show_image_direct_url  = undef,
+  $package_ensure         = 'present',
 ) {
   include glance::params
 
@@ -35,7 +42,7 @@ class glance::backend::rbd(
   }
 
   package { 'python-ceph':
-    ensure => 'present',
+    ensure => $package_ensure,
     name   => $::glance::params::pyceph_package_name,
   }
 
diff --git a/spec/classes/glance_backend_rbd_spec.rb b/spec/classes/glance_backend_rbd_spec.rb
index 1d4b7e61..f78b61e8 100644
--- a/spec/classes/glance_backend_rbd_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/glance_backend_rbd_spec.rb
@@ -31,9 +31,15 @@ describe 'glance::backend::rbd' do
       {
         :rbd_store_user        => 'user',
         :rbd_store_chunk_size  => '2',
+        :package_ensure        => 'latest',
       }
     end
     it { should contain_glance_api_config('DEFAULT/rbd_store_user').with_value('user') }
     it { should contain_glance_api_config('DEFAULT/rbd_store_chunk_size').with_value('2') }
+    it { should contain_package('python-ceph').with(
+        :name   => 'python-ceph',
+        :ensure => 'latest'
+      )
+    }
   end
 end