diff --git a/manifests/config.pp b/manifests/config.pp
index bdd69d4..b392e8c 100644
--- a/manifests/config.pp
+++ b/manifests/config.pp
@@ -31,4 +31,13 @@
     ensure  => file,
     content => template('couchdb/local.ini.erb'),
   }
+
+  # If uuid is missing from the config (as in the above local.ini template),
+  # couchdb will write the uuid in the last-read config file upon (re)start.
+  # Usually, that means puppet is going to replace the local.ini again because
+  # it changed. Therefore we provide this special workaround config file.
+  file { "${couchdb::couchdb_conf_dir}/local.d/zzz-uuid.ini":
+    replace => no,
+    content => '[couchdb]',
+  }
 }
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 3ec31f1..5ffaa1a 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #
 # [*log_level_local*]             - info
 #
+# [*manage_epel_repo*]            - true ; set to false if you are managing Yumrepo['epel'] elsewhere
+#
 # [*max_attachment_chunk_size*]   - 4294967296 ;4GB
 #
 # [*max_connections*]             - 2048
@@ -28,6 +30,8 @@
 #
 # [*os_process_timeout*]          - 5000 ; 5 seconds. for view and external servers.
 #
+# [*package_ensure*]              - present ; control couchdb package version
+#
 # [*port*]                        - 5984
 #
 # [*require_valid_user*]          - If you set this to true, you should also uncomment the WWW-Authenticate
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@
 #
 #
 # === Requires:
-#  metcalfc-rpmrepos - https://github.com/metcalfc/puppet-rpmrepos
+#  metcalfc-rpmrepos - https://github.com/metcalfc/puppet-rpmrepos ; unless $manage_epel_repo is false
 #
 #  Packaged couchdb
 #    - RHEL/CentOS: EPEL
@@ -88,11 +92,13 @@
   $log_file                   = '/var/log/couchdb/couch.log',
   $log_level                  = 'info',
   $log_max_chunk_size         = '1000000',
+  $manage_epel_repo           = true,
   $max_attachment_chunk_size  = '4294967296 ;4GB',
   $max_connections            = '2048',
   $max_dbs_open               = '100',
   $max_document_size          = '4294967296',
   $os_process_timeout         = '5000 ; 5 seconds. for view and external servers.',
+  $package_ensure             = 'present',
   $port                       = '5984',
   $reduce_limit               = true,
   $require_valid_user         = false,
@@ -106,7 +112,10 @@
 ) {
 
   include couchdb::params
-  include rpmrepos::epel
+
+  if $manage_epel_repo == true {
+    include rpmrepos::epel
+  }
 
   class { 'couchdb::package':
     notify => Class['couchdb::service'],
diff --git a/manifests/package.pp b/manifests/package.pp
index 7e852b8..5d7b5f8 100644
--- a/manifests/package.pp
+++ b/manifests/package.pp
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@
 
 class couchdb::package {
   package { 'couchdb':
-    ensure  => installed,
-    require => Yumrepo['epel'],
+    ensure  => $::couchdb::package_ensure,
+  }
+
+  if $::couchdb::manage_epel_repo {
+    Package['couchdb'] {
+      require +> Yumrepo['epel'],
+    }
   }
 }