diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__git/manifest b/cdist/conf/type/__git/manifest
index 866515d7..e8c9b233 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__git/manifest
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__git/manifest
@@ -26,7 +26,22 @@ __package git --state present
 state_should=present
 [ -f "$__object/parameter/state" ] && state_should="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")"
 
+[ -f "$__object/parameter/owner" ] && dirparams="$dirparams --owner $(cat "$__object/parameter/owner")"
+[ -f "$__object/parameter/group" ] && dirparams="$dirparams --group $(cat "$__object/parameter/group")"
+
 # Let __directory handle removal of git repos
-if [ "$state_should" = absent ]; then
-    __directory "$__object_id" --state absent
-fi
+
+case "$state_should" in
+    present)
+        __directory "$__object_id" --state present $dirparams --recursive
+    ;;
+
+    absent)
+        __directory "$__object_id" --state absent
+    ;;
+
+    *)
+        echo "Unknown state: $state_should" >&2
+        exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__git/parameter/optional b/cdist/conf/type/__git/parameter/optional
index 671134d6..d9684aaa 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__git/parameter/optional
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__git/parameter/optional
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 state
 branch
+group
+owner