diff --git a/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp b/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp
index 578201643..8cd826976 100644
--- a/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp
+++ b/manifests/cron/archive_deleted_rows.pp
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@
 #    all cron jobs at the same time on all hosts this job is configured.
 #    Defaults to 0.
 #
+#  [*ensure*]
+#    (optional) Ensure cron jobs present or absent
+#    Defaults to present.
+#
 class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
   $minute         = 1,
   $hour           = 0,
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
   $sleep          = undef,
   $verbose        = false,
   $maxdelay       = 0,
+  Enum['present', 'absent'] $ensure = 'present',
 ) inherits nova::params {
 
   include nova::deps
@@ -165,6 +170,7 @@ class nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows (
   $cron_cmd = 'nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows'
 
   cron { 'nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows':
+    ensure      => $ensure,
     # lint:ignore:140chars
     command     => "${delay_cmd}${cron_cmd}${purge_real} --max_rows ${max_rows}${verbose_real}${age_real}${until_complete_real}${all_cells_real}${task_log_real}${sleep_real} >>${destination} 2>&1",
     # lint:endignore
diff --git a/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp b/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp
index 4e67a7f36..bdc364212 100644
--- a/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp
+++ b/manifests/cron/purge_shadow_tables.pp
@@ -60,7 +60,11 @@
 #    Induces a random delay before running the cronjob to avoid running
 #    all cron jobs at the same time on all hosts this job is configured.
 #    Defaults to 0.
-
+#
+#  [*ensure*]
+#    (optional) Ensure cron jobs present or absent
+#    Defaults to present.
+#
 class nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables (
   $minute       = 0,
   $hour         = 5,
@@ -73,6 +77,7 @@ class nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables (
   $all_cells    = false,
   $verbose      = false,
   $maxdelay     = 0,
+  Enum['present', 'absent'] $ensure = 'present',
 ) inherits nova::params {
 
   include nova::deps
@@ -101,6 +106,7 @@ class nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables (
   $cron_cmd = 'nova-manage db purge'
 
   cron { 'nova-manage db purge':
+    ensure      => $ensure,
     # lint:ignore:140chars
     command     => "${delay_cmd}${cron_cmd} --before `date --date='today - ${age} days' +\\%D`${verbose_real}${all_cells_real} >>${destination} 2>&1",
     # lint:endignore
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/delayed_nova_compute-23fe926e73fb3717.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/delayed_nova_compute-23fe926e73fb3717.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b0909a9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/delayed_nova_compute-23fe926e73fb3717.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    The new parameters, ``nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows::ensure`` and
+    ``nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables::ensure``, have been added.
+    These parameters control the corresponding cron jobs existence. When either
+    of two classes included, they can be given ``ensure => absent`` to unwind
+    existing cron jobs.
diff --git a/spec/classes/nova_cache_spec.rb b/spec/classes/nova_cache_spec.rb
index 3e2399d47..9cc636752 100644
--- a/spec/classes/nova_cache_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/nova_cache_spec.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ describe 'nova::cache' do
           :hashclient_retry_delay               => '<SERVICE DEFAULT>',
           :dead_timeout                         => '<SERVICE DEFAULT>',
           :manage_backend_package               => true,
-          :manage_backend_package               => true,
         )
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb b/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb
index 07a2c759f..2983b4511 100644
--- a/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/nova_cron_archive_deleted_rows_spec.rb
@@ -21,9 +21,22 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
         :destination    => '/var/log/nova/nova-rowsflush.log' }
     end
 
+    context 'ensure the cron job is absent' do
+      before :each do
+        params.merge!(
+          :ensure => :absent,
+        )
+      end
+
+      it 'removes the cron job' do
+        is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with_ensure(:absent)
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'until_complete and all_cells is false' do
       it 'configures a cron without until_complete and all_cells' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -46,6 +59,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with until_complete' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --verbose >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -68,6 +82,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with until_complete' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --until-complete >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -90,6 +105,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with all_cells' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --all-cells >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -112,6 +128,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with task_log' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --task-log >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -134,6 +151,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with purge' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --purge --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -157,6 +175,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with all purge params' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --purge --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --until-complete >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -179,6 +198,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with maxdelay' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "sleep `expr ${RANDOM} \\% #{params[:maxdelay]}`; nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -201,6 +221,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with --before' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --before `date --date='today - #{params[:age]} days' +\\%F` >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -224,6 +245,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::archive_deleted_rows' do
 
       it 'configures a cron with --before' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows --max_rows #{params[:max_rows]} --until-complete --sleep #{params[:sleep]} >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
diff --git a/spec/classes/nova_cron_purge_shadow_tables_spec.rb b/spec/classes/nova_cron_purge_shadow_tables_spec.rb
index 5f076ba35..95dcfcfae 100644
--- a/spec/classes/nova_cron_purge_shadow_tables_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/nova_cron_purge_shadow_tables_spec.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ describe 'nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables' do
         :age         => 10 }
     end
 
+    context 'ensure the cron job is absent' do
+      before :each do
+        params.merge!(
+          :ensure => :absent,
+        )
+      end
+
+      it 'removes the cron job' do
+        is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db purge').with_ensure(:absent)
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'verbose is true' do
       before :each do
         params.merge!(
@@ -26,6 +38,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables' do
 
       it 'configures a nova purge cron with verbose output' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db purge').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db purge --before `date --date='today - #{params[:age]} days' +\\%D` --verbose >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -48,6 +61,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables' do
 
       it 'configures a nova purge cron without verbose output' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db purge').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db purge --before `date --date='today - #{params[:age]} days' +\\%D` >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -70,6 +84,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables' do
 
       it 'configures a nova purge cron with all cells enabled' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db purge').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "nova-manage db purge --before `date --date='today - #{params[:age]} days' +\\%D` --all-cells >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],
@@ -92,6 +107,7 @@ describe 'nova::cron::purge_shadow_tables' do
 
       it 'configures a nova purge cron with maxdelay' do
         is_expected.to contain_cron('nova-manage db purge').with(
+          :ensure      => :present,
           :command     => "sleep `expr ${RANDOM} \\% #{params[:maxdelay]}`; nova-manage db purge --before `date --date='today - #{params[:age]} days' +\\%D` >>#{params[:destination]} 2>&1",
           :environment => 'PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin SHELL=/bin/sh',
           :user        => params[:user],