diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/base.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/base.pp
index a31d5e4562..adbfab9939 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/base.pp
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/base.pp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class openstack_project::base(
   if ($::operatingsystem == 'Ubuntu') {
     include apt
   }
+  include openstack_project::params
   include openstack_project::users
   include sudoers
 
@@ -30,14 +31,8 @@ class openstack_project::base(
     }
   }
 
-  $packages = [
-    'puppet',
-    'python-setuptools',
-    'wget',
-  ]
-
-  package { $packages:
-    ensure => present,
+  package { $::openstack_project::params::packages:
+    ensure => present
   }
 
   include pip
@@ -48,8 +43,8 @@ class openstack_project::base(
   }
 
   if ($install_users) {
-    package { ['byobu', 'emacs23-nox']:
-      ensure => present,
+    package { $::openstack_project::params::user_packages:
+      ensure => present
     }
 
     realize (
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/params.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/params.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..70240c14c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/params.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Class: openstack_project::params
+#
+# This class holds parameters that need to be
+# accessed by other classes.
+class openstack_project::params {
+  case $::osfamily {
+    'Redhat': {
+      $packages = ['puppet', 'python-setuptools', 'wget']
+      $user_packages = ['byobu', 'emacs-nox']
+    }
+    'Debian', 'Ubuntu': {
+      $packages = ['puppet', 'python-setuptools', 'wget']
+      $user_packages = ['byobu', 'emacs23-nox']
+    }
+    default: {
+      fail("Unsupported osfamily: ${::osfamily} The 'openstack_project' module only supports osfamily Ubuntu or Redhat(slaves only).")
+    }
+  }
+}