diff --git a/.fixtures.yml b/.fixtures.yml
index 02128d6..b2ed9fa 100644
--- a/.fixtures.yml
+++ b/.fixtures.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 fixtures:
   repositories:
+    "common":
+      repo: "git://github.com/ghoneycutt/puppet-module-common.git"
+      ref: "v1.0.2"
     "stdlib":
       repo: "git://github.com/puppetlabs/puppetlabs-stdlib.git"
       ref: "3.2.0"
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 9750670..b594415 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 env:
-- PUPPET_VERSION=2.7.23
-- PUPPET_VERSION=3.2.4
+- PUPPET_VERSION=2.7.22
+- PUPPET_VERSION=3.3.2
 notifications:
 email: false
 rvm:
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ rvm:
 - 1.8.7
 matrix:
   allow_failures:
-  - env: PUPPET_VERSION=2.7.23
+  - env: PUPPET_VERSION=2.7.22
 language: ruby
 before_script: "gem install --no-ri --no-rdoc bundler"
 script: 'bundle exec rake validate && bundle exec rake lint && SPEC_OPTS="--format documentation" bundle exec rake spec'
diff --git a/Modulefile b/Modulefile
index 7ad5bb8..4f4736d 100644
--- a/Modulefile
+++ b/Modulefile
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ description 'Manages NTP server'
 project_page 'https://github.com/ghoneycutt/puppet-module-ntp'
 
 dependency 'puppetlabs/stdlib',  '3.2.x'
+dependency 'ghoneycutt/common', '>= 1.0.2'
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4bd53ae..7b1d1ff 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,17 +1,30 @@
-# ntp module #
+# ntp module
+===
+
+[![Build Status](https://api.travis-ci.org/ghoneycutt/puppet-module-ntp.png?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/ghoneycutt/puppet-module-ntp)
 
 Puppet module to manage ntp
 
-# Compatibility #
+===
+
+# Compatibility
+
+This module is supported on the following systems with Puppet v3.
 
-This module is supported by the following OS families.
+ * Debian 6
+ * EL 5
+ * EL 6
+ * Solaris 9
+ * Solaris 10
+ * Solaris 11
+ * Suse 9
+ * Suse 10
+ * Suse 11
+ * Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
 
- * Debian
- * Redhat
- * Suse 9, 10, 11
- * Solaris 9, 10, 11
+===
 
-# Parameters #
+# Parameters
 
 See ntp.conf(5) for more information regarding settings.
 
@@ -50,6 +63,12 @@ ntp.conf's mode
 
 - *Default*: 0644
 
+step_tickers_ensure
+-------------------
+Ensure step tickers file. Valid values are 'present' and 'absent'.
+
+- *Default*: based on OS
+
 service_running
 ---------------
 If service should be running
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index f18ea06..6840321 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -6,7 +6,13 @@ PuppetLint.configuration.ignore_paths = ["spec/**/*.pp", "pkg/**/*.pp"]
 
 desc "Run puppet in noop mode and check for syntax errors."
 task :validate do
-   Dir['manifests/**/*.pp'].each do |path|
-     sh "puppet parser validate --noop #{path}"
-   end
+  Dir['manifests/**/*.pp'].each do |path|
+    sh "puppet parser validate --noop #{path}"
+  end
+  Dir['spec/**/*.rb','lib/**/*.rb'].each do |spec_path|
+    sh "ruby -c #{spec_path}" unless spec_path =~ /spec\/fixtures/
+  end
+  Dir['templates/**/*.erb'].each do |template|
+    sh "erb -P -x -T '-' #{template} | ruby -c"
+  end
 end
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 136af39..d0b8b3f 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
-# Class: ntp
+# == Class: ntp
 #
-#   This module manages the ntp service.
-#
-# Actions:
-#
-#  Installs, configures, and manages the ntp service.
-#
-# Requires:
-#
-# Sample Usage:
-#   include ntp
+# This module manages the ntp service.
 #
 class ntp (
   $config_file_owner   = 'root',
@@ -97,40 +88,34 @@
   }
 
   case $::osfamily {
-    'debian': {
+    'Debian': {
       $default_package_name      = [ 'ntp' ]
       $default_package_noop      = false
       $default_package_source    = undef
       $default_package_adminfile = undef
+      $default_step_tickers_ensure = 'absent'
       $default_service_name      = 'ntp'
       $default_config_file       = '/etc/ntp.conf'
       $default_driftfile         = '/var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift'
-
-      # Verified that Ubuntu does not use /etc/ntp/step-tickers by default.
-      if $::operatingsystem == 'Ubuntu' {
-        $step_tickers_enable = false
-      } else {
-        $step_tickers_enable = true
-      }
     }
-    'redhat': {
+    'RedHat': {
       $default_package_name      = [ 'ntp' ]
       $default_package_noop      = false
       $default_package_source    = undef
       $default_package_adminfile = undef
+      $default_step_tickers_ensure = 'present'
       $default_service_name      = 'ntpd'
       $default_config_file       = '/etc/ntp.conf'
       $default_driftfile         = '/var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift'
-      $step_tickers_enable       = true
     }
-    'suse': {
+    'Suse': {
       $default_package_noop      = false
       $default_package_source    = undef
       $default_package_adminfile = undef
+      $default_step_tickers_ensure = 'absent'
       $default_service_name      = 'ntp'
       $default_config_file       = '/etc/ntp.conf'
       $default_driftfile         = '/var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift'
-      $step_tickers_enable       = true
 
       case $::lsbmajdistrelease {
         '9','10': {
@@ -144,7 +129,7 @@
         }
       }
     }
-    'solaris': {
+    'Solaris': {
       case $::kernelrelease {
         '5.9','5.10': {
           $default_package_name     = [ 'SUNWntp4r', 'SUNWntp4u' ]
@@ -159,13 +144,13 @@
       $default_package_noop      = true
       $default_package_source    = '/var/spool/pkg'
       $default_package_adminfile = '/var/sadm/install/admin/puppet-ntp'
+      $default_step_tickers_ensure = 'absent'
       $default_service_name      = 'ntp4'
       $default_config_file       = '/etc/inet/ntp.conf'
       $default_driftfile         = '/var/ntp/ntp.drift'
-      $step_tickers_enable       = false
     }
     default: {
-      fail("The ntp module is supported by OS Families Debian, Redhat, Suse, and Solaris. Your operatingsystem, ${::operatingsystem}, is part of the osfamily, ${::osfamily}")
+      fail("The ntp module is supported by OS Families Debian, RedHat, Suse, and Solaris. Your operatingsystem, ${::operatingsystem}, is part of the osfamily, ${::osfamily}")
     }
   }
 
@@ -211,29 +196,15 @@
     $driftfile_real = $driftfile
   }
 
-  case $step_tickers_enable {
-    true: {
-      $default_step_tickers_ensure  = present
-      $step_tickers_owner_real = $step_tickers_owner
-      $step_tickers_group_real = $step_tickers_group
-      $step_tickers_mode_real  = $step_tickers_mode
-    }
-    false: {
-      $default_step_tickers_ensure  = absent
-      $step_tickers_owner_real = undef
-      $step_tickers_group_real = undef
-      $step_tickers_mode_real  = undef
-    }
-    default: {
-      fail("step_tickers_enable must be true or false. Current value is ${step_tickers_enable}")
-    }
-  }
-
   if $step_tickers_ensure == 'USE_DEFAULTS' {
     $step_tickers_ensure_real = $default_step_tickers_ensure
   } else {
     $step_tickers_ensure_real = $step_tickers_ensure
   }
+  validate_re($step_tickers_ensure_real, '^(present)|(absent)$',
+    "ntp::step_tickers_ensure must be 'present' or 'absent'. Detected value is <${step_tickers_ensure_real}>.")
+
+  validate_absolute_path($step_tickers_path)
 
   # validate $my_enable_stats - must be true or false
   case $my_enable_stats {
@@ -275,14 +246,21 @@
     require => Package['ntp_package'],
   }
 
-  file { 'step-tickers':
-    ensure  => $step_tickers_ensure_real,
-    path    => $step_tickers_path,
-    owner   => $step_tickers_owner_real,
-    group   => $step_tickers_group_real,
-    mode    => $step_tickers_mode_real,
-    content => template('ntp/step-tickers.erb'),
-    require => Package['ntp_package'],
+  if $step_tickers_ensure_real == 'present' {
+
+    common::mkdir_p { $step_tickers_path: }
+
+    file { 'step-tickers':
+      ensure  => $step_tickers_ensure_real,
+      path    => $step_tickers_path,
+      owner   => $step_tickers_owner,
+      group   => $step_tickers_group,
+      mode    => $step_tickers_mode,
+      content => template('ntp/step-tickers.erb'),
+      require => [ Package['ntp_package'],
+                  Common::Mkdir_p[$step_tickers_path],
+                  ],
+    }
   }
 
   service { 'ntp_service':
diff --git a/spec/classes/init_spec.rb b/spec/classes/init_spec.rb
index b49a3b5..12f18f5 100644
--- a/spec/classes/init_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/init_spec.rb
@@ -30,15 +30,7 @@
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/fudge  127.127.1.0 stratum 10/) }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'present',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-        'owner'  => 'root',
-        'group'  => 'root',
-        'mode'   => '0644',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
 
@@ -70,12 +62,7 @@
       })
     }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'absent',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it {
       should contain_file('ntp_conf').with({
@@ -137,6 +124,13 @@
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/fudge  127.127.1.0 stratum 10/) }
 
+    it {
+      should contain_exec('mkdir_p-/etc/ntp/step-tickers').with({
+        'command' => 'mkdir -p /etc/ntp/step-tickers',
+        'unless'  => 'test -d /etc/ntp/step-tickers',
+      })
+    }
+
     it {
       should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
         'ensure' => 'present',
@@ -144,6 +138,7 @@
         'owner'  => 'root',
         'group'  => 'root',
         'mode'   => '0644',
+        'require' => [ 'Package[ntp_package]', 'Common::Mkdir_p[/etc/ntp/step-tickers]' ],
       })
     }
 
@@ -177,12 +172,7 @@
       })
     }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'absent',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it {
       should contain_file('ntp_conf').with({
@@ -237,12 +227,7 @@
       })
     }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'absent',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it {
       should contain_file('ntp_conf').with({
@@ -289,12 +274,7 @@
       })
     }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'absent',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it {
       should contain_file('ntp_conf').with({
@@ -362,15 +342,7 @@
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/fudge  127.127.1.0 stratum 10/) }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'present',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-        'owner'  => 'root',
-        'group'  => 'root',
-        'mode'   => '0644',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
 
@@ -417,15 +389,7 @@
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/fudge  127.127.1.0 stratum 10/) }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'present',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-        'owner'  => 'root',
-        'group'  => 'root',
-        'mode'   => '0644',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
 
@@ -472,15 +436,7 @@
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/fudge  127.127.1.0 stratum 10/) }
 
-    it {
-      should contain_file('step-tickers').with({
-        'ensure' => 'present',
-        'path'   => '/etc/ntp/step-tickers',
-        'owner'  => 'root',
-        'group'  => 'root',
-        'mode'   => '0644',
-      })
-    }
+    it { should_not contain_file('step-tickers') }
 
     it { should contain_file('ntp_conf').with_content(/server 0.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 1.us.pool.ntp.org\nserver 2.us.pool.ntp.org/) }
 
@@ -523,7 +479,29 @@
     it do
       expect {
         should include_class('ntp')
-      }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error,/The ntp module is supported by OS Families Debian, Redhat, Suse, and Solaris./)
+      }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error,/The ntp module is supported by OS Families Debian, RedHat, Suse, and Solaris./)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'with invalid value for step_tickers_ensure param' do
+    let(:params) { { :step_tickers_ensure => 'invalid' } }
+    let(:facts) { { :osfamily => 'RedHat' } }
+
+    it do
+      expect {
+        should include_class('ntp')
+      }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error,/ntp::step_tickers_ensure must be 'present' or 'absent'. Detected value is <invalid>./)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'with invalid path for step_tickers_path param' do
+    let(:params) { { :step_tickers_path => 'invalid/path' } }
+    let(:facts) { { :osfamily => 'RedHat' } }
+
+    it do
+      expect {
+        should include_class('ntp')
+      }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error)
     end
   end
 end