diff --git a/manifests/bond/slave.pp b/manifests/bond/slave.pp
index 00003e36..b6e9a8b7 100644
--- a/manifests/bond/slave.pp
+++ b/manifests/bond/slave.pp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 # === Parameters:
 #
-#   $macaddress   - required
+#   $macaddress   - optional 
 #   $master       - required
 #   $ethtool_opts - optional
 #
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 # === Sample Usage:
 #
 #   network::bond::slave { 'eth1':
-#     macaddress => $::macaddress_eth1,
 #     master     => 'bond0',
 #   }
 #
@@ -32,13 +31,15 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2011 Mike Arnold, unless otherwise noted.
 #
 define network::bond::slave (
-  $macaddress,
+  $macaddress ='',
   $master,
   $ethtool_opts = ''
 ) {
   # Validate our data
   if ! is_mac_address($macaddress) {
-    fail("${macaddress} is not a MAC address.")
+    $macaddy = getvar("::macaddress_${title}")
+  } else {
+    $macaddy = $macaddress
   }
 
   include 'network'
diff --git a/templates/ifcfg-bond.erb b/templates/ifcfg-bond.erb
index eaeb2add..49ccbb3f 100644
--- a/templates/ifcfg-bond.erb
+++ b/templates/ifcfg-bond.erb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ### File managed by Puppet
 ###
 DEVICE=<%= @interface %>
-HWADDR=<%= @macaddress %>
+HWADDR=<%= @macaddy %>
 MASTER=<%= @master %>
 SLAVE=yes
 TYPE=Ethernet