diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a53219fb6..51d2f5dad 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -889,6 +889,20 @@ Configures a default virtual host when the class is declared. Valid options: Boo
 
 To configure [customized virtual hosts][Configuring virtual hosts], set this parameter's value to 'false'.
 
+##### `dev_packages`
+
+Configures a specific dev package to use. Valid options: String.  Default: 'OS default httpd dev package'.
+
+Example for using httpd 2.4 from the IUS yum repo:
+
+~~~ puppet
+include ::apache::dev
+class { 'apache':
+  apache_name  => 'httpd24u',
+  dev_packages => 'httpd24u-devel',
+}
+~~~
+
 ##### `docroot`
 
 Sets the default [`DocumentRoot`][] location. Default: Determined by your operating system.
diff --git a/manifests/dev.pp b/manifests/dev.pp
index b1947e934..fdebf59f5 100644
--- a/manifests/dev.pp
+++ b/manifests/dev.pp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 class apache::dev {
   include ::apache::params
-  $packages = $::apache::params::dev_packages
+  $packages = $::apache::dev_packages
   if $packages { # FreeBSD doesn't have dev packages to install
     package { $packages:
       ensure  => present,
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 7baa65713..5db9e90c7 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
   $default_ssl_crl        = undef,
   $default_ssl_crl_check  = undef,
   $default_type           = 'none',
+  $dev_packages           = $::apache::params::dev_packages,
   $ip                     = undef,
   $service_enable         = true,
   $service_manage         = true,