diff --git a/manifests/plugin/mysql/database.pp b/manifests/plugin/mysql/database.pp
index 48cf70bd1..a9909190a 100644
--- a/manifests/plugin/mysql/database.pp
+++ b/manifests/plugin/mysql/database.pp
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
   $masterstats        = false,
   $slavestats         = false,
   $socket             = undef,
-  $innodbstats        = false,
-  $slavenotifications = false,
+  $innodbstats        = undef,
+  $slavenotifications = undef,
 ) {
   include collectd::params
   include collectd::plugin::mysql
@@ -18,11 +18,19 @@
   $conf_dir = $collectd::params::plugin_conf_dir
 
   validate_string($database, $host, $username, $password, $port)
-  validate_bool($masterstats, $slavestats, $innodbstats, $slavenotifications)
+  validate_bool($masterstats, $slavestats)
   if $socket {
     validate_string($socket)
   }
 
+  if $innodbstats != undef {
+    validate_bool($innodbstats)
+  }
+
+  if $slavenotifications != undef {
+    validate_bool($slavenotifications)
+  }
+
   if ($masterstats == true and $slavestats == true) {
     fail('master and slave statistics are mutually exclusive.')
   }
diff --git a/templates/mysql-database.conf.erb b/templates/mysql-database.conf.erb
index 2a48e2a7e..e98f3214d 100644
--- a/templates/mysql-database.conf.erb
+++ b/templates/mysql-database.conf.erb
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@
 <%- if @socket -%>
     Socket "<%= @socket %>"
 <%- end -%>
+<%- if not @innodbstats.nil? -%>
     InnodbStats <%= @innodbstats %>
+<%- end -%>
+<%- if not @slavenotifications.nil? -%>
     SlaveNotifications <%= @slavenotifications %>
+<%- end -%>
   </Database>
 </Plugin>