diff --git a/manifests/client.pp b/manifests/client.pp
index 34308b4..7dfe913 100644
--- a/manifests/client.pp
+++ b/manifests/client.pp
@@ -13,13 +13,22 @@ class sshd::client {
 }
 
 class sshd::client::base {
-    # this is needed because the gid might have changed
-    file { '/etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts':
-            mode => 0644, owner => root, group => 0;
-    }
-    
-    # Now collect all server keys
-    Sshkey <<||>>
+
+  case $sshd_ensure_version {
+    '': { $sshd_ensure_version = "present" }
+  }
+  
+  package{openssh-clients:
+    ensure => $sshd_ensure_version,
+  }
+
+  # this is needed because the gid might have changed
+  file { '/etc/ssh/ssh_known_hosts':
+    mode => 0644, owner => root, group => 0;
+  }
+  
+  # Now collect all server keys
+  Sshkey <<||>>
 }
 
 class sshd::client::linux inherits sshd::client::base {
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index b7ae200..5179e08 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -208,6 +208,12 @@ class sshd::base {
   case $sshd_tail_additional_options {
     '': { $sshd_tail_additional_options = '' }
   }
+  case $sshd_ensure_version {
+    '': { $sshd_ensure_version = "present" }
+  }
+
+  package{openssh:
+    ensure => $sshd_ensure_version,
   }
   
   file { 'sshd_config':