diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 01ce41638..2176a6a90 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -288,6 +288,12 @@ What provider to use to install the package.
 
 Where should the package be installed from?
 
+On Debian- and Arch-based systems using the default package provider,
+this parameter is ignored and the package is installed from the
+rabbitmq repository, if enabled with manage_repo => true, or from the
+system repository otherwise. If you want to use dpkg as the
+package_provider, you must specify a local package_source.
+
 ####`plugin_dir`
 
 Location of RabbitMQ plugins.
@@ -361,6 +367,11 @@ Boolean to enable TCP connection keepalive for RabbitMQ service.
 
 Sets the version to install.
 
+On Debian- and Arch-based operating systems, the version parameter is
+ignored and the latest version is installed from the rabbitmq
+repository, if enabled with manage_repo => true, or from the system
+repository otherwise.
+
 ####`wipe_db_on_cookie_change`
 
 Boolean to determine if we should DESTROY AND DELETE the RabbitMQ database.
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 7fba34615..f145d90c0 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   $package_gpg_key            = $rabbitmq::params::package_gpg_key,
   $package_name               = $rabbitmq::params::package_name,
   $package_provider           = $rabbitmq::params::package_provider,
-  $package_source             = $rabbitmq::params::package_source,
+  $package_source             = undef,
   $repos_ensure               = $rabbitmq::params::repos_ensure,
   $manage_repos               = $rabbitmq::params::manage_repos,
   $plugin_dir                 = $rabbitmq::params::plugin_dir,
@@ -119,6 +119,22 @@
     warning('$ssl_stomp_port requires that $ssl => true and will be ignored')
   }
 
+  # This needs to happen here instead of params.pp because
+  # $package_source needs to override the constructed value in params.pp
+  if $package_source { # $package_source was specified by user so use that one
+    $real_package_source = $package_source
+  } else { #  package_source was not specified, so construct it
+    case $::osfamily {
+      'RedHat', 'SUSE': {
+        $base_version   = regsubst($version,'^(.*)-\d$','\1')
+        $real_package_source = "http://www.rabbitmq.com/releases/rabbitmq-server/v${base_version}/rabbitmq-server-${version}.noarch.rpm"
+      }
+      default: { # Archlinux and Debian
+        $real_package_source = ''
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   include '::rabbitmq::install'
   include '::rabbitmq::config'
   include '::rabbitmq::service'
diff --git a/manifests/install.pp b/manifests/install.pp
index 65675ac75..f2df83aa0 100644
--- a/manifests/install.pp
+++ b/manifests/install.pp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   $package_ensure   = $rabbitmq::package_ensure
   $package_name     = $rabbitmq::package_name
   $package_provider = $rabbitmq::package_provider
-  $package_source   = $rabbitmq::package_source
+  $package_source   = $rabbitmq::real_package_source
 
   package { 'rabbitmq-server':
     ensure   => $package_ensure,
diff --git a/manifests/params.pp b/manifests/params.pp
index 574a7d539..e3b87b24f 100644
--- a/manifests/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/params.pp
@@ -9,17 +9,13 @@
       $package_ensure   = 'installed'
       $package_name     = 'rabbitmq'
       $service_name     = 'rabbitmq'
-      $package_source   = ''
       $version          = '3.1.3-1'
-      $base_version     = regsubst($version,'^(.*)-\d$','\1')
-      # This must remain at the end as we need $base_version and $version defined first
     }
     'Debian': {
       $package_ensure   = 'installed'
       $package_name     = 'rabbitmq-server'
       $service_name     = 'rabbitmq-server'
       $package_provider = 'apt'
-      $package_source   = ''
       $version          = '3.1.5'
     }
     'RedHat': {
@@ -28,9 +24,6 @@
       $service_name     = 'rabbitmq-server'
       $package_provider = 'rpm'
       $version          = '3.1.5-1'
-      $base_version     = regsubst($version,'^(.*)-\d$','\1')
-      # This must remain at the end as we need $base_version and $version defined first.
-      $package_source   = "http://www.rabbitmq.com/releases/rabbitmq-server/v${base_version}/rabbitmq-server-${version}.noarch.rpm"
     }
     'SUSE': {
       $package_ensure   = 'installed'
@@ -38,9 +31,6 @@
       $service_name     = 'rabbitmq-server'
       $package_provider = 'zypper'
       $version          = '3.1.5-1'
-      $base_version     = regsubst($version,'^(.*)-\d$','\1')
-      # This must remain at the end as we need $base_version and $version defined first.
-      $package_source   = "http://www.rabbitmq.com/releases/rabbitmq-server/v${base_version}/rabbitmq-server-${version}.noarch.rpm"
     }
     default: {
       fail("The ${module_name} module is not supported on an ${::osfamily} based system.")