diff --git a/util/manifests/init.pp b/util/manifests/init.pp
index 7c3ed40..4a9ca2b 100644
--- a/util/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/util/manifests/init.pp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #   $strip:
 #       Remove the specified number of leading path elements.
 #       Defaults to 0.
+#   $preserve:
+#       Preserve owner and permissions. Defaults to false.
 #
 # === Sample usage
 #
@@ -17,7 +19,7 @@
 #    source => "/usr/local/src/moin-1.8.8.tar.gz",
 #}
 #
-define util::extract::tar($source, $strip=0) {
+define util::extract::tar($source, $strip=0, $preserve=false) {
 
     file { "${name}":
         ensure => directory,
@@ -32,9 +34,15 @@ define util::extract::tar($source, $strip=0) {
         bz2, tbz: { $cat = "bzcat" }
     }
 
+    if $preserve {
+        $command = "${cat} ${source} | tar xf - --strip-components=${strip} -C ${name}"
+    } else {
+        $command = "${cat} ${source} | tar xf - --strip-components=${strip} -C ${name} --no-same-owner --no-same-permissions"
+    }
+
     exec { "extract-tar-${name}":
         path    => "/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin",
-        command => "${cat} ${source} | tar xf - --strip-components=${strip} -C ${name}",
+        command => $command,
         require => [ File["${name}"], ],
         unless  => "test -n \"$(ls -A ${name})\"",
     }