diff --git a/docs/man/cdist-reference.text.sh b/docs/man/cdist-reference.text.sh
index b0a9d32c..b41be801 100755
--- a/docs/man/cdist-reference.text.sh
+++ b/docs/man/cdist-reference.text.sh
@@ -116,8 +116,13 @@ confdir/type/<name>/parameter/required::
 confdir/type/<name>/parameter/optional::
     Parameters optionally accepted by type, \n seperated list.
 
+confdir/type/<name>/parameter/default/*::
+    Default values for optional parameters.
+    Assuming an optional parameter name of 'foo', it's default value would
+    be read from the file confdir/type/<name>/parameter/default/foo.
+
 confdir/type/<name>/parameter/boolean::
-   Boolean parameters accepted by type, \n seperated list.
+    Boolean parameters accepted by type, \n seperated list.
 
 confdir/type/<name>/explorer::
     Location of the type specific explorers.
diff --git a/docs/man/man7/cdist-type.text b/docs/man/man7/cdist-type.text
index cfb50414..8415f991 100644
--- a/docs/man/man7/cdist-type.text
+++ b/docs/man/man7/cdist-type.text
@@ -82,10 +82,16 @@ follow the standard unix behaviour "the last given wins".
 If either is missing, the type will have no required, no optional, no boolean
 or no parameters at all. 
 
+Default values for optional parameters can be predefined in
+***parameter/default/<name>***.
+
 Example:
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 echo servername >> cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/required
 echo logdirectory >> cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/optional
+echo loglevel >> cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/optional
+mkdir cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/default
+echo warning > cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/default/loglevel
 echo server_alias >> cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/optional_multiple
 echo use_ssl >> cdist/conf/type/__nginx_vhost/parameter/boolean
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -108,6 +114,9 @@ if [ -f "$__object/parameter/logdirectory" ]; then
    logdirectory="$(cat "$__object/parameter/logdirectory")"
 fi
 
+# optional parameter with predefined default
+loglevel="$(cat "$__object/parameter/loglevel")"
+
 # boolean parameter
 if [ -f "$__object/parameter/use_ssl" ]; then
    # file exists -> True