diff --git a/manifests/cache.pp b/manifests/cache.pp
index f430e03..784508a 100644
--- a/manifests/cache.pp
+++ b/manifests/cache.pp
@@ -113,6 +113,10 @@
 #   client connection. (integer value)
 #   Defaults to $::os_service_default
 #
+# [*manage_backend_package*]
+#   (Optional) Whether to install the backend package.
+#   Defaults to true.
+#
 define oslo::cache(
   $config_prefix                        = $::os_service_default,
   $expiration_time                      = $::os_service_default,
@@ -127,6 +131,7 @@ define oslo::cache(
   $memcache_pool_maxsize                = $::os_service_default,
   $memcache_pool_unused_timeout         = $::os_service_default,
   $memcache_pool_connection_get_timeout = $::os_service_default,
+  $manage_backend_package               = true,
 ){
 
   include ::oslo::params
@@ -149,17 +154,19 @@ define oslo::cache(
     $proxies_orig = $proxies
   }
 
-  if ($backend =~ /pylibmc/ ) {
-    ensure_packages('python-pylibmc', {
-      ensure => present,
-      name   => $::oslo::params::pylibmc_package_name,
-      tag    => 'openstack',
-    })
-  } elsif ($backend =~ /\.memcache/ ) {
-    ensure_resources('package', { 'python-memcache' => {
-      name   => $::oslo::params::python_memcache_package_name,
-      tag    => ['openstack'],
-    }})
+  if $manage_backend_package {
+    if ($backend =~ /pylibmc/ ) {
+      ensure_packages('python-pylibmc', {
+        ensure => present,
+        name   => $::oslo::params::pylibmc_package_name,
+        tag    => 'openstack',
+      })
+    } elsif ($backend =~ /\.memcache/ ) {
+      ensure_resources('package', { 'python-memcache' => {
+        name   => $::oslo::params::python_memcache_package_name,
+        tag    => ['openstack'],
+      }})
+    }
   }
 
   $cache_options = {
diff --git a/manifests/db.pp b/manifests/db.pp
index 172c8ae..3fff658 100644
--- a/manifests/db.pp
+++ b/manifests/db.pp
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 #   (Optional) The back end to use for the database.
 #   Defaults to $::os_service_default
 #
+# [*manage_backend_package*]
+#   (Optional) Whether to install the backend package.
+#   Defaults to true.
+#
 # [*backend_package_ensure*]
 #   (Optional) Desired ensure state of the backend database package,
 #   accepts latest or specific versions.
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@
 define oslo::db(
   $sqlite_synchronous     = $::os_service_default,
   $backend                = $::os_service_default,
+  $manage_backend_package = true,
   $backend_package_ensure = present,
   $connection             = $::os_service_default,
   $slave_connection       = $::os_service_default,
@@ -135,36 +140,38 @@ define oslo::db(
     validate_re($connection,
       '^(sqlite|mysql(\+pymysql)?|postgresql|mongodb):\/\/(\S+:\S+@\S+\/\S+)?')
 
-    case $connection {
-      /^mysql(\+pymysql)?:\/\//: {
-        require '::mysql::bindings'
-        require '::mysql::bindings::python'
-        if $connection =~ /^mysql\+pymysql/ {
-          $backend_package = $::oslo::params::pymysql_package_name
-        } else {
+    if $manage_backend_package {
+      case $connection {
+        /^mysql(\+pymysql)?:\/\//: {
+          require '::mysql::bindings'
+          require '::mysql::bindings::python'
+          if $connection =~ /^mysql\+pymysql/ {
+            $backend_package = $::oslo::params::pymysql_package_name
+          } else {
+            $backend_package = false
+          }
+        }
+        /^postgresql:\/\//: {
           $backend_package = false
+          require '::postgresql::lib::python'
+        }
+        /^mongodb:\/\//: {
+          $backend_package = $::oslo::params::pymongo_package_name
+        }
+        /^sqlite:\/\//: {
+          $backend_package = $::oslo::params::sqlite_package_name
+        }
+        default: {
+          fail('Unsupported backend configured')
         }
       }
-      /^postgresql:\/\//: {
-        $backend_package = false
-        require '::postgresql::lib::python'
-      }
-      /^mongodb:\/\//: {
-        $backend_package = $::oslo::params::pymongo_package_name
-      }
-      /^sqlite:\/\//: {
-        $backend_package = $::oslo::params::sqlite_package_name
-      }
-      default: {
-        fail('Unsupported backend configured')
-      }
-    }
 
-    if $backend_package and !defined(Package[$backend_package]) {
-      package { $backend_package:
-        ensure => $backend_package_ensure,
-        name   => $backend_package,
-        tag    => 'openstack',
+      if $backend_package and !defined(Package[$backend_package]) {
+        package { $backend_package:
+          ensure => $backend_package_ensure,
+          name   => $backend_package,
+          tag    => 'openstack',
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/spec/defines/oslo_cache_spec.rb b/spec/defines/oslo_cache_spec.rb
index e489c92..891a035 100644
--- a/spec/defines/oslo_cache_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/oslo_cache_spec.rb
@@ -75,6 +75,18 @@ describe 'oslo::cache' do
           :tag    => 'openstack',
         )
       end
+
+      context 'with backend package management disabled' do
+        before do
+          params.merge!({
+            :manage_backend_package => false,
+          })
+        end
+
+        it 'does not install backend package' do
+          is_expected.not_to contain_package('python-pylibmc')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'with memcache backend' do
@@ -91,6 +103,18 @@ describe 'oslo::cache' do
           :tag    => ['openstack'],
         )
       end
+
+      context 'with backend package management disabled' do
+        before do
+          params.merge!({
+            :manage_backend_package => false,
+          })
+        end
+
+        it 'does not install backend package' do
+          is_expected.not_to contain_package('python-memcache')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'with string in list parameters' do
diff --git a/spec/defines/oslo_db_spec.rb b/spec/defines/oslo_db_spec.rb
index f106690..2589f43 100644
--- a/spec/defines/oslo_db_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/oslo_db_spec.rb
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ describe 'oslo::db' do
           :tag    => 'openstack'
         )
       end
+
+      context 'with backend package management disabled' do
+        before do
+          params.merge!({
+            :manage_backend_package => false,
+          })
+        end
+
+        it 'does not install backend package' do
+          is_expected.not_to contain_package('python-pymongo')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'with specific mongodb connection string' do
@@ -117,6 +129,18 @@ describe 'oslo::db' do
       it 'install the proper backend package' do
         is_expected.to contain_package('python-psycopg2').with(:ensure => 'present')
       end
+
+      context 'with backend package management disabled' do
+        before do
+          params.merge!({
+            :manage_backend_package => false,
+          })
+        end
+
+        it 'does not install backend package' do
+          is_expected.not_to contain_package('python-psycopg2')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'with incorrect database_connection string' do
@@ -149,6 +173,18 @@ describe 'oslo::db' do
           :tag    => 'openstack'
         )
       end
+
+      context 'with backend package management disabled' do
+        before do
+          params.merge!({
+            :manage_backend_package => false,
+          })
+        end
+
+        it 'does not install backend package' do
+          is_expected.not_to contain_package('python-pymysql')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'with sqlite backend' do
@@ -163,6 +199,18 @@ describe 'oslo::db' do
           :tag    => 'openstack'
         )
       end
+
+      context 'with backend package management disabled' do
+        before do
+          params.merge!({
+            :manage_backend_package => false,
+          })
+        end
+
+        it 'does not install backend package' do
+          is_expected.not_to contain_package('python-pysqlite2')
+        end
+      end
     end
   end