diff --git a/manifests/object/ringbuilder.pp b/manifests/object/ringbuilder.pp
index 5a2ba96e..56bfe389 100644
--- a/manifests/object/ringbuilder.pp
+++ b/manifests/object/ringbuilder.pp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 # Swift ring builder node
 #
 class cloud::object::ringbuilder(
+    $enabled                     = false,
     $rsyncd_ipaddress            = '127.0.0.1',
     $replicas                    = 3,
     $swift_rsync_max_connections = 5,
@@ -23,24 +24,27 @@ class cloud::object::ringbuilder(
 
   include cloud::object
 
-  Ring_object_device <<| |>>
-  Ring_container_device <<| |>>
-  Ring_account_device <<| |>>
+  if $enabled {
+    Ring_object_device <<| |>>
+    Ring_container_device <<| |>>
+    Ring_account_device <<| |>>
 
-  class {'swift::ringbuilder' :
-    part_power     => 15,
-    replicas       => $replicas,
-    min_part_hours => 24,
+    class {'swift::ringbuilder' :
+      part_power     => 15,
+      replicas       => $replicas,
+      min_part_hours => 24,
+    }
+
+    class {'swift::ringserver' :
+      local_net_ip    => $rsyncd_ipaddress,
+      max_connections => $swift_rsync_max_connections,
+    }
+
+    # exports rsync gets that can be used to sync the ring files
+    @@swift::ringsync { ['account', 'object', 'container']:
+      ring_server => $rsyncd_ipaddress,
+    }
   }
 
-  class {'swift::ringserver' :
-    local_net_ip    => $rsyncd_ipaddress,
-    max_connections => $swift_rsync_max_connections,
-  }
-
-  # exports rsync gets that can be used to sync the ring files
-  @@swift::ringsync { ['account', 'object', 'container']:
-    ring_server => $rsyncd_ipaddress,
-  }
 }
 
diff --git a/spec/classes/cloud_object_ringbuilder_spec.rb b/spec/classes/cloud_object_ringbuilder_spec.rb
index 4a3b6e1b..06f4806c 100644
--- a/spec/classes/cloud_object_ringbuilder_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/cloud_object_ringbuilder_spec.rb
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ describe 'cloud::object::ringbuilder' do
 
     let :params do
       {
-        :rsyncd_ipaddress           => '127.0.0.1',
+        :rsyncd_ipaddress            => '127.0.0.1',
         :replicas                    => 3,
         :swift_rsync_max_connections => 5,
+        :enabled                     => true
       }
     end
 
@@ -27,6 +28,16 @@ describe 'cloud::object::ringbuilder' do
       })
     end
 
+    context 'when ringbuilder is not enabled' do
+      before do
+        params.merge!(
+          :enabled => false
+        )
+      end
+      it 'should not configure swift ring builder' do
+        should_not contain_class('swift::ringbuilder')
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context 'on Debian platforms' do