diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 39d5b4889..ec4865534 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -68,6 +68,36 @@ Implementation
 
 nova is a combination of Puppet manifest and ruby code to delivery configuration and extra functionality through types and providers.
 
+### Types
+
+#### nova_config
+
+The `nova_config` provider is a children of the ini_setting provider. It allows one to write an entry in the `/etc/nova/nova.conf` file.
+
+```puppet
+nova_config { 'DEFAULT/verbose' :
+  value => true,
+}
+```
+
+This will write `verbose=true` in the `[DEFAULT]` section.
+
+##### name
+
+Section/setting name to manage from `nova.conf`
+
+##### value
+
+The value of the setting to be defined.
+
+##### secret
+
+Whether to hide the value from Puppet logs. Defaults to `false`.
+
+##### ensure_absent_val
+
+If value is equal to ensure_absent_val then the resource will behave as if `ensure => absent` was specified. Defaults to `<SERVICE DEFAULT>`
+
 Limitations
 -----------
 
diff --git a/lib/puppet/provider/nova_config/ini_setting.rb b/lib/puppet/provider/nova_config/ini_setting.rb
index 85b90a723..43f673593 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/provider/nova_config/ini_setting.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/provider/nova_config/ini_setting.rb
@@ -1,32 +1,10 @@
 Puppet::Type.type(:nova_config).provide(
   :ini_setting,
-  :parent => Puppet::Type.type(:ini_setting).provider(:ruby)
+  :parent => Puppet::Type.type(:openstack_config).provider(:ini_setting)
 ) do
 
-  # the setting is always default
-  # this if for backwards compat with the old puppet providers for nova_config
-  def section
-    resource[:name].split('/', 2)[0]
-  end
-
-  # assumes that the name was the setting
-  # this is to maintain backwards compat with the the older
-  # stuff
-  def setting
-    resource[:name].split('/', 2)[1]
-  end
-
-  def separator
-    '='
-  end
-
   def self.file_path
     '/etc/nova/nova.conf'
   end
 
-  # this needs to be removed. This has been replaced with the class method
-  def file_path
-    self.class.file_path
-  end
-
 end
diff --git a/lib/puppet/type/nova_config.rb b/lib/puppet/type/nova_config.rb
index 0cb5c44c8..611819dce 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/type/nova_config.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/type/nova_config.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Puppet::Type.newtype(:nova_config) do
   ensurable
 
   newparam(:name, :namevar => true) do
+    desc 'Section/setting name to manage from nova.conf'
     newvalues(/\S+\/\S+/)
   end
 
@@ -40,6 +41,11 @@ Puppet::Type.newtype(:nova_config) do
     defaultto false
   end
 
+  newparam(:ensure_absent_val) do
+    desc 'A value that is specified as the value property will behave as if ensure => absent was specified'
+    defaultto('<SERVICE DEFAULT>')
+  end
+
   autorequire(:package) do
     'nova-common'
   end
diff --git a/spec/unit/provider/nova_config/ini_setting_spec.rb b/spec/unit/provider/nova_config/ini_setting_spec.rb
index 2a226d4d0..1f8f2b712 100644
--- a/spec/unit/provider/nova_config/ini_setting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/provider/nova_config/ini_setting_spec.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,17 @@ $LOAD_PATH.push(
     'inifile',
     'lib')
 )
+$LOAD_PATH.push(
+  File.join(
+    File.dirname(__FILE__),
+    '..',
+    '..',
+    '..',
+    'fixtures',
+    'modules',
+    'openstacklib',
+    'lib')
+)
 require 'spec_helper'
 provider_class = Puppet::Type.type(:nova_config).provider(:ini_setting)
 describe provider_class do
@@ -35,4 +46,23 @@ describe provider_class do
     expect(provider.section).to eq('dude')
     expect(provider.setting).to eq('foo')
   end
+
+  it 'should ensure absent when <SERVICE DEFAULT> is specified as a value' do
+    resource = Puppet::Type::Nova_config.new(
+      {:name => 'dude/foo', :value => '<SERVICE DEFAULT>'}
+    )
+    provider = provider_class.new(resource)
+    provider.exists?
+    expect(resource[:ensure]).to eq :absent
+  end
+
+  it 'should ensure absent when value matches ensure_absent_val' do
+    resource = Puppet::Type::Nova_config.new(
+      {:name => 'dude/foo', :value => 'foo', :ensure_absent_val => 'foo' }
+    )
+    provider = provider_class.new(resource)
+    provider.exists?
+    expect(resource[:ensure]).to eq :absent
+  end
+
 end