diff --git a/manifests/cinder.pp b/manifests/cinder.pp
index cce2c5f22..e3c0c6d12 100644
--- a/manifests/cinder.pp
+++ b/manifests/cinder.pp
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
 #   Defaults to $::os_service_default
 #
 # [*auth_type*]
-#   Name of the auth type to load (string value)
-#   Defaults to $::os_service_default
+#   (optional) Name of the auth type to load (string value)
+#   Defaults to 'password'
 #
 # [*auth_url*]
 #   (optional) Points to the OpenStack Identity server IP and port.
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 #
 class nova::cinder (
   $password            = $::os_service_default,
-  $auth_type           = $::os_service_default,
+  $auth_type           = 'password',
   $auth_url            = $::os_service_default,
   $timeout             = $::os_service_default,
   $region_name         = $::os_service_default,
diff --git a/spec/classes/nova_cinder_spec.rb b/spec/classes/nova_cinder_spec.rb
index 1004ba85c..b7e0e78ea 100644
--- a/spec/classes/nova_cinder_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/nova_cinder_spec.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ describe 'nova::cinder' do
 
       it 'configures cinder in nova.conf' do
         should contain_nova_config('cinder/password').with_value('<SERVICE DEFAULT>').with_secret(true)
-        should contain_nova_config('cinder/auth_type').with_value('<SERVICE DEFAULT>')
+        should contain_nova_config('cinder/auth_type').with_value('password')
         should contain_nova_config('cinder/auth_url').with_value('<SERVICE DEFAULT>')
         should contain_nova_config('cinder/timeout').with_value('<SERVICE DEFAULT>')
         should contain_nova_config('cinder/region_name').with_value('<SERVICE DEFAULT>')