diff --git a/conf/type/__postgres_role/explorer/state b/conf/type/__postgres_role/explorer/state
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..8c102df9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__postgres_role/explorer/state
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+#
+# This file is part of cdist.
+#
+# cdist is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cdist is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+
+name="$__object_id"
+
+if su - postgres -c "psql -c '\du' | grep -q '^ *$name *|'"; then
+   echo "present"
+else
+   echo "absent"
+fi
diff --git a/conf/type/__postgres_role/gencode-remote b/conf/type/__postgres_role/gencode-remote
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..5f1401b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__postgres_role/gencode-remote
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# 2011 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+#
+# This file is part of cdist.
+#
+# cdist is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# cdist is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+
+name="$__object_id"
+state_is="$(cat "$__object/explorer/state")"
+state_should="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")"
+
+if [ "$state_is" != "$state_should" ]; then
+   case "$state_should" in
+      present)
+         optional="password
+         login
+         createdb
+         createrole
+         superuser"
+         for parameter in $optional; do
+            if [ -f "$__object/parameter/$parameter" ]; then
+               value="$(cat "$__object/parameter/$parameter")"
+               eval $parameter=$value
+            fi
+         done
+
+         [ -n "$password" ] && password="PASSWORD '$password'"
+         [ "$login" = "true" ] && login="LOGIN" || login="NOLOGIN"
+         [ "$createdb" = "true" ] && createdb="CREATEDB" || createdb="NOCREATEDB"
+         [ "$createrole" = "true" ] && createrole="CREATEROLE" || createrole="NOCREATEROLE"
+         [ "$superuser" = "true" ] && superuser="SUPERUSER" || superuser="NOSUPERUSER"
+         [ "$inherit" = "true" ] && inherit="INHERIT" || inherit="NOINHERIT"
+
+         cmd="CREATE ROLE $name WITH $password $login $createdb $createrole $superuser $inherit"
+         echo "su - postgres -c \"/usr/bin/psql -c \\\"$cmd\\\"\""
+      ;;
+      absent)
+         echo "su - postgres -c \"/usr/bin/dropuser \\\"$name\\\"\""
+      ;;
+   esac
+fi
diff --git a/conf/type/__postgres_role/man.text b/conf/type/__postgres_role/man.text
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..415473d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__postgres_role/man.text
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+cdist-type__postgres_role(7)
+============================
+Steven Armstrong <steven-cdist--@--armstrong.cc>
+
+
+NAME
+----
+cdist-type__postgres_role - manage postgres roles
+
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+This cdist type allows you to create or drop postgres roles.
+
+
+REQUIRED PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+state::
+   either 'present' or 'absent'
+
+
+OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
+-------------------
+All optional parameter map directly to the corresponding postgres createrole 
+parameters.
+
+password::
+login::
+createdb::
+createrole::
+superuser::
+inherit::
+
+
+EXAMPLES
+--------
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+__postgres_role myrole --state present 
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+- cdist-type(7)
+- http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/sql-createrole.html
+
+
+COPYING
+-------
+Copyright \(C) 2011 Steven Armstrong. Free use of this software is
+granted under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3).
diff --git a/conf/type/__postgres_role/parameter/optional b/conf/type/__postgres_role/parameter/optional
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5abb57f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__postgres_role/parameter/optional
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+password
+login
+createdb
+createrole
+superuser
+inherit
diff --git a/conf/type/__postgres_role/parameter/required b/conf/type/__postgres_role/parameter/required
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff72b5c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/type/__postgres_role/parameter/required
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+state