diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/manifest b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/manifest
index 47cdf746..8b299d0a 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/manifest
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/manifest
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #
 
 owner="$(cat "$__object/parameter/owner" 2>/dev/null || echo "$__object_id")"
-state="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state" 2>/dev/null || echo "present")"
+state="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state" 2>/dev/null)"
 if [ -f "$__object/parameter/file" ]; then
    file="$(cat "$__object/parameter/file")"
 else
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/parameter/default/state b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/parameter/default/state
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7f6134f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_authorized_keys/parameter/default/state
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+present