diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 999ecf4..821daa2 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
   $package_provider  = undef,
   $version           = $::splunk::params::version,
   $replace_passwd    = $::splunk::params::replace_passwd,
+  $manage_certs      = $::splunk::params::manage_certs
 ) inherits splunk::params {
 
 # Added the preseed hack after getting the idea from very cool
diff --git a/manifests/install.pp b/manifests/install.pp
index f08c00a..dfa8927 100644
--- a/manifests/install.pp
+++ b/manifests/install.pp
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
   $version          = $::splunk::version,
   $package_source   = $::splunk::package_source,
   $package_provider = $::splunk::package_provider,
-  $replace_passwd   = $::splunk::replace_passwd
+  $replace_passwd   = $::splunk::replace_passwd,
+  $manage_certs     = $::splunk::manage_certs
   ) {
 
   package { $pkgname:
@@ -62,12 +63,14 @@
 
   # recursively copy the contents of the auth dir
   # This is causing a restart on the second run. - TODO
-  file { "${splunkhome}/etc/auth":
-      mode    => '0600',
-      owner   => 'splunk',
-      group   => 'splunk',
-      recurse => true,
-      purge   => false,
-      source  => 'puppet:///modules/splunk/noarch/opt/splunk/etc/auth',
+  if $manage_certs {
+    file { "${splunkhome}/etc/auth":
+        mode    => '0600',
+        owner   => 'splunk',
+        group   => 'splunk',
+        recurse => true,
+        purge   => false,
+        source  => 'puppet:///modules/splunk/noarch/opt/splunk/etc/auth',
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/manifests/params.pp b/manifests/params.pp
index 42c6934..28b820a 100644
--- a/manifests/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/params.pp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
   $purge             = undef
   $version           = 'installed'
   $replace_passwd    = 'no'
+  $manage_certs      = true
 
   if $::mode == maintenance {
     $service_ensure = 'stopped'