diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5e7511b0e..7218b3e18 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ If you find this module useful, send some bitcoins to 1Na3YFUmdxKxJLiuRXQYJU2kiN
 
 * $package_ensure = 'present'
 * $logfile = '/var/log/memcached.log'
+* $pidfile = '/var/run/memcached.pid' (Debian family only, set to false to disable pidfile)
 * $max_memory = false
 * $item_size = false
 * $lock_memory = false (WARNING: good if used intelligently, google for -k key)
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index f469c7554..1d196c333 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 class memcached (
   $package_ensure  = 'present',
   $logfile         = '/var/log/memcached.log',
+  $pidfile         = '/var/run/memcached.pid',
   $manage_firewall = false,
   $max_memory      = false,
   $item_size       = false,
diff --git a/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb b/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb
index 11b1defa4..3357569f7 100644
--- a/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb
@@ -96,6 +96,12 @@
       :install_dev     => true,
       :processorcount  => 1
     },
+    {
+      :pidfile         => false,
+    },
+    {
+      :pidfile         => '/var/log/memcached.pid',
+    },
     {
       :package_ensure  => 'absent',
       :install_dev     => true
@@ -185,6 +191,9 @@
             if(param_hash[:lock_memory])
               expected_lines.push("-k")
             end
+            if(param_hash[:pidfile])
+              expected_lines.push("-P #{param_hash[:pidfile]}")
+            end
             if(param_hash[:verbosity])
               expected_lines.push("-vvv")
             end
diff --git a/templates/memcached.conf.erb b/templates/memcached.conf.erb
index 0ecc7d7d6..1586d9426 100644
--- a/templates/memcached.conf.erb
+++ b/templates/memcached.conf.erb
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 # Run memcached as a daemon.
 -d
 
+<% if @pidfile -%>
 # pidfile
--P /var/run/memcached.pid
+-P <%= @pidfile %>
+<% end -%>
 
 # Log memcached's output
 logfile <%= @logfile -%>