diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/gencode-remote
index b5f52f50..0f11cff4 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/gencode-remote
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ if [ "$state_should" != "$state_is" ]; then
             owner="-O \"$(cat "$__object/parameter/owner")\""
          fi
 
+         template=""
+         if [ -f "$__object/parameter/template" ]; then
+            template="--template \"$(cat "$__object/parameter/template")\""
+         fi
+
          encoding=""
          if [ -f "$__object/parameter/encoding" ]; then
             encoding="--encoding \"$(cat "$__object/parameter/encoding")\""
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ if [ "$state_should" != "$state_is" ]; then
          fi
 
          cat << EOF
-su - '$postgres_user' -c "createdb $owner \"$name\" $encoding $lc_collate $lc_ctype"
+su - '$postgres_user' -c "createdb $owner \"$name\" $template $encoding $lc_collate $lc_ctype"
 EOF
       ;;
       absent)
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/man.rst b/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/man.rst
index 97ac95eb..870b4917 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/man.rst
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/man.rst
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ lc-collate
 lc-ctype
    Specifies the LC_CTYPE setting to be used in this database.
 
+template
+   Specifies the template database from which to build this database.
+
+
 EXAMPLES
 --------
 
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/parameter/optional b/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/parameter/optional
index fed2581e..877fbf32 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/parameter/optional
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__postgres_database/parameter/optional
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ owner
 encoding
 lc-collate
 lc-ctype
+template