diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ee4b42a..88ebe020 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -143,10 +143,12 @@ This will mount /data on client in /share/data.
     }
     # ensure is passed to mount, which will make the client not mount it
     # the directory automatically, just add it to fstab
+    # The directory on the NFS server is not created automatically.
     nfs::server::export { '/media_library':
-      ensure  => 'present',
+      ensure     => 'present',
       nfstag     => 'media',
-      clients => '10.0.0.0/24(rw,insecure,async,no_root_squash) localhost(rw)',
+      clients    => '10.0.0.0/24(rw,insecure,async,no_root_squash) localhost(rw)',
+      create_dir => false,
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/manifests/functions/create_export.pp b/manifests/functions/create_export.pp
index 585fa10c..e0181ce6 100644
--- a/manifests/functions/create_export.pp
+++ b/manifests/functions/create_export.pp
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 # [*ensure*]
 #   String. Sets if enabled or not.
 #
+# [*create_dir*]
+#   Boolean.  Create the directory to be exported.
+#
 # [*owner*]
 #   String. Sets the owner of the exported directory.
 #
@@ -37,6 +40,7 @@
 define nfs::functions::create_export (
   $clients,
   $ensure = 'present',
+  Boolean $create_dir = true,
   $owner  = undef,
   $group  = undef,
   $mode   = undef,
@@ -49,7 +53,9 @@
       content => $line,
     }
 
-    unless defined(File[$name]) {
+    # Create the directory path only if a File resource isn't
+    # defined previously AND the $create_dir boolean is true.
+    unless defined(File[$name]) and $create_dir {
       filepath { $name:
         ensure => present,
         owner  => $owner,
diff --git a/manifests/server/export.pp b/manifests/server/export.pp
index 84d653d2..2dd40182 100644
--- a/manifests/server/export.pp
+++ b/manifests/server/export.pp
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@
 #   String. Sets the hostname clients will use to mount the exported resource. If undef it
 #   defaults to the trusted certname
 #
+# [*create_dir*]
+#   Boolean.  Create the directory to be exported.
+#
 # === Examples
 #
 # class { '::nfs':
@@ -96,6 +99,7 @@
   $mode                   = undef,
   $server                 = $::clientcert,
   $nfsv4_bindmount_enable = $::nfs::nfsv4_bindmount_enable,
+  Boolean $create_dir     = true,
 ) {
 
   if $nfs::server::nfs_v4 {
@@ -118,12 +122,13 @@
     }
 
     nfs::functions::create_export { $export_title:
-      ensure  => $ensure,
-      clients => $clients,
-      owner   => $owner,
-      group   => $group,
-      mode    => $mode,
-      require => $create_export_require,
+      ensure     => $ensure,
+      clients    => $clients,
+      create_dir => $create_dir,
+      owner      => $owner,
+      group      => $group,
+      mode       => $mode,
+      require    => $create_export_require,
     }
 
     if $mount != undef {