diff --git a/lib/puppet/type/exec.rb b/lib/puppet/type/exec.rb
index fb47b133848..1cd8779362a 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/type/exec.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/type/exec.rb
@@ -223,7 +223,9 @@ def sync
     newparam(:path) do
       desc "The search path used for command execution.
         Commands must be fully qualified if no path is specified.  Paths
-        can be specified as an array or as a '#{File::PATH_SEPARATOR}' separated list."
+        can be specified as an array or as a '#{File::PATH_SEPARATOR}' separated list. Defaults to the `path` fact."
+
+      defaultto Puppet.runtime[:facter].value('path')
 
       # Support both arrays and colon-separated fields.
       def value=(*values)
diff --git a/spec/unit/type/exec_spec.rb b/spec/unit/type/exec_spec.rb
index ebc6f48038a..48e33000b7f 100644
--- a/spec/unit/type/exec_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/type/exec_spec.rb
@@ -910,6 +910,8 @@ def instance(path)
     let :abs  do make_absolute('/bin/echo') end
     let :path do make_absolute('/bin') end
 
+    allow(Facter).to receive(:value).with('path').and_return('/usr/bin:/bin')
+
     it "should fail with relative command and no path" do
       expect { type.new(:command => rel) }.
         to raise_error Puppet::Error, /no path was specified/