diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/gencode-remote
index 59398058..9debbc47 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/gencode-remote
@@ -31,24 +31,28 @@ if [ -f "$__object/parameter/raw" ]; then
 elif [ -f "$__object/parameter/raw_command" ]; then
    entry="$command"
 else
-   minute="$(cat "$__object/parameter/minute" 2>/dev/null || echo "*")"
-   hour="$(cat "$__object/parameter/hour" 2>/dev/null || echo "*")"
-   day_of_month="$(cat "$__object/parameter/day_of_month" 2>/dev/null || echo "*")"
-   month="$(cat "$__object/parameter/month" 2>/dev/null || echo "*")"
-   day_of_week="$(cat "$__object/parameter/day_of_week" 2>/dev/null || echo "*")"
+   minute="$(cat "$__object/parameter/minute")"
+   hour="$(cat "$__object/parameter/hour")"
+   day_of_month="$(cat "$__object/parameter/day_of_month")"
+   month="$(cat "$__object/parameter/month")"
+   day_of_week="$(cat "$__object/parameter/day_of_week")"
    entry="$minute $hour $day_of_month $month $day_of_week $command # $name"
 fi
 
 mkdir "$__object/files"
 echo "$entry" > "$__object/files/entry"
 
-if diff -q "$__object/files/entry" "$__object/explorer/entry" >/dev/null; then
-    state_is=present
+if [ -s "$__object/explorer/entry" ]; then
+    if diff -q "$__object/files/entry" "$__object/explorer/entry" >/dev/null; then
+        state_is=present
+    else
+        state_is=modified
+    fi
 else
     state_is=absent
 fi
 
-state_should="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state" 2>/dev/null || echo "present")"
+state_should="$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")"
 
 [ "$state_is" = "$state_should" ] && exit 0
 
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/manifest b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/manifest
index 53973e07..e7b51863 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/manifest
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/manifest
@@ -22,3 +22,12 @@ if [ -f "$__object/parameter/raw" ] && [ -f "$__object/parameter/raw_command" ];
     echo "ERROR: both raw and raw_command specified" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
+
+case "$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")" in
+    present) ;;
+    absent) ;;
+
+    *)
+        echo "ERROR: unkown cron state" >&2
+        exit 2
+esac
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/day_of_month b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/day_of_month
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72e8ffc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/day_of_month
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/day_of_week b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/day_of_week
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72e8ffc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/day_of_week
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/hour b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/hour
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72e8ffc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/hour
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/minute b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/minute
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72e8ffc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/minute
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/month b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/month
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72e8ffc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/month
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/state b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/state
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7f6134f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__cron/parameter/default/state
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+present