diff --git a/conf/type/__link/manifest b/conf/type/__link/manifest
index a8ee5a6f..6b5e1ca7 100755
--- a/conf/type/__link/manifest
+++ b/conf/type/__link/manifest
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2012 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,6 +19,6 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-# set defaults
-state="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state" 2>/dev/null \
-   || echo "present" | tee "$__object/parameter/state")"
+# set default: present, if not setup
+statefile="$__object/parameter/state"
+[ -f "$statefile" ] || echo present > "$statefile"