diff --git a/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb b/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb
index c2a836da4..d8f2981c8 100644
--- a/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/memcached_spec.rb
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@
       :install_dev     => true,
       :processorcount  => 1
     },
+    {
+      :listen_ip       => '',
+    },
     {
       :pidfile         => false,
     },
@@ -177,7 +180,6 @@
             )
             expected_lines = [
               "logfile #{param_hash[:logfile]}",
-              "-l #{param_hash[:listen_ip]}",
               "-p #{param_hash[:tcp_port]}",
               "-U #{param_hash[:udp_port]}",
               "-u #{param_hash[:user]}",
@@ -193,6 +195,9 @@
             else
               expected_lines.push("-m 950")
             end
+            if(param_hash[:listen_ip] != '')
+              expected_lines.push("-l #{param_hash[:listen_ip]}")
+            end
             if(param_hash[:lock_memory])
               expected_lines.push("-k")
             end
diff --git a/templates/memcached.conf.erb b/templates/memcached.conf.erb
index 1586d9426..0dae0bcf7 100644
--- a/templates/memcached.conf.erb
+++ b/templates/memcached.conf.erb
@@ -34,8 +34,11 @@ logfile <%= @logfile -%>
 # UNIX socket path to listen on
 -s <%= @unix_socket %>
 <% else -%>
+
+<% if @listen_ip != '' -%>
 # IP to listen on
 -l <%= @listen_ip %>
+<% end -%>
 
 # TCP port to listen on
 -p <%= @tcp_port %>