diff --git a/data/default.yaml b/data/default.yaml
index 91348fd..a72a3e9 100644
--- a/data/default.yaml
+++ b/data/default.yaml
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ patterndb::_manage_top_dirs: true
 patterndb::test_before_deploy: &test_before_deploy true
 patterndb::parser::test_before_deploy: *test_before_deploy
 patterndb::config_dir: /etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d
+patterndb::var_dir: /var/lib/syslog-ng
diff --git a/data/osfamily/FreeBSD.yaml b/data/osfamily/FreeBSD.yaml
index b4b0ef7..ec4f07d 100644
--- a/data/osfamily/FreeBSD.yaml
+++ b/data/osfamily/FreeBSD.yaml
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 ---
 patterndb::config_dir: /usr/local/etc/patterndb.d
+patterndb::var_dir: /var/syslog-ng
diff --git a/examples/NOK_mismatching_action.pp b/examples/NOK_mismatching_action.pp
index dcac8d7..4c5bef7 100644
--- a/examples/NOK_mismatching_action.pp
+++ b/examples/NOK_mismatching_action.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 Exec {
diff --git a/examples/OK_getent.pp b/examples/OK_getent.pp
index d4f0ebb..5269ba7 100644
--- a/examples/OK_getent.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_getent.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package   => false,
-  base_dir         => '/tmp/',
   syslogng_modules => ['tfgetent'],
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/OK_hiera.pp b/examples/OK_hiera.pp
index 0b4fbcd..0b847d0 100644
--- a/examples/OK_hiera.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_hiera.pp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
-  base_dir         => '/tmp/',
   manage_package   => false,
   syslogng_modules => [],
   use_hiera        => true,
diff --git a/examples/OK_hiera_puppet5.pp b/examples/OK_hiera_puppet5.pp
index 132679d..90368ee 100644
--- a/examples/OK_hiera_puppet5.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_hiera_puppet5.pp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
-  base_dir         => '/tmp/',
   manage_package   => false,
   syslogng_modules => [],
   use_hiera        => true,
diff --git a/examples/OK_hybrid.pp b/examples/OK_hybrid.pp
index 8629feb..9705ae3 100644
--- a/examples/OK_hybrid.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_hybrid.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::raw::ruleset { 'raw':
diff --git a/examples/OK_ltgt.pp b/examples/OK_ltgt.pp
index 5835b16..0603c34 100644
--- a/examples/OK_ltgt.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_ltgt.pp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
-  base_dir         => '/tmp/',
   manage_package   => false,
   syslogng_modules => [],
 }
diff --git a/examples/OK_modules.pp b/examples/OK_modules.pp
index c6dac52..c0cbe42 100644
--- a/examples/OK_modules.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_modules.pp
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 }
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package   => false,
-  base_dir         => '/tmp/',
   syslogng_modules => ['basicfuncs'],
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/OK_multiple_pdb.pp b/examples/OK_multiple_pdb.pp
index a0994de..91be537 100644
--- a/examples/OK_multiple_pdb.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_multiple_pdb.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'dhclient':
diff --git a/examples/OK_notest.pp b/examples/OK_notest.pp
index a9d027a..c297cb5 100644
--- a/examples/OK_notest.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_notest.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package     => false,
-  base_dir           => '/tmp/',
   syslogng_modules   => ['pdbtool_test_would_fail_with_this_module'],
   test_before_deploy => false,
 }
diff --git a/examples/OK_raw.pp b/examples/OK_raw.pp
index 0177e28..98ac7ef 100644
--- a/examples/OK_raw.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_raw.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package   => false,
-  base_dir         => '/tmp/',
   syslogng_modules => [],
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/OK_s.pp b/examples/OK_s.pp
index 37a2b42..4ec1012 100644
--- a/examples/OK_s.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_s.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 Patterndb::Simple::Rule {
diff --git a/examples/OK_separate_action.pp b/examples/OK_separate_action.pp
index b5ef392..c886875 100644
--- a/examples/OK_separate_action.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_separate_action.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 Exec {
diff --git a/examples/OK_separate_rules.pp b/examples/OK_separate_rules.pp
index 489ce27..2677fb8 100644
--- a/examples/OK_separate_rules.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_separate_rules.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'empty_ruleset':
diff --git a/examples/OK_separate_rules_and_actions.pp b/examples/OK_separate_rules_and_actions.pp
index f8d396b..8f7f243 100644
--- a/examples/OK_separate_rules_and_actions.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_separate_rules_and_actions.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 Exec {
diff --git a/examples/OK_simple.pp b/examples/OK_simple.pp
index 5ee33d0..9df1a42 100644
--- a/examples/OK_simple.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_simple.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'dhclient':
diff --git a/examples/OK_simple_action.pp b/examples/OK_simple_action.pp
index a429061..70f4c64 100644
--- a/examples/OK_simple_action.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_simple_action.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'dhclient':
diff --git a/examples/OK_simple_coerce.pp b/examples/OK_simple_coerce.pp
index 806af69..1cd304e 100644
--- a/examples/OK_simple_coerce.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_simple_coerce.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'plop':
diff --git a/examples/OK_simple_context.pp b/examples/OK_simple_context.pp
index 69bfc58..471b4ab 100644
--- a/examples/OK_simple_context.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_simple_context.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'dhclient':
diff --git a/examples/OK_simple_empty.pp b/examples/OK_simple_empty.pp
index 0d9f939..9433d61 100644
--- a/examples/OK_simple_empty.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_simple_empty.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package => false,
-  base_dir       => '/tmp/',
 }
 
 patterndb::simple::ruleset { 'empty':
diff --git a/examples/OK_yum.pp b/examples/OK_yum.pp
index baf9495..b0b3a35 100644
--- a/examples/OK_yum.pp
+++ b/examples/OK_yum.pp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 class { 'patterndb':
   manage_package     => false,
-  base_dir           => '/tmp',
   syslogng_modules   => [],
   test_before_deploy => true,
 }
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index d439f86..3d41364 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 class patterndb (
   String[1] $package_name,
   Stdlib::Absolutepath $config_dir,
+  Stdlib::Absolutepath $var_dir,
   Stdlib::Absolutepath $cache_dir = '/var/cache/syslog-ng',
-  String[1] $base_dir = '/',
   Boolean $manage_package = true,
   Array[String[1]] $syslogng_modules = [],
   Boolean $use_hiera = false,
@@ -15,17 +15,15 @@
   }
   ensure_resource ( 'file', $cache_dir, { ensure => directory })
   ensure_resource (
-    'file', "${base_dir}/var/lib/syslog-ng",
+    'file', $var_dir,
     { ensure => 'directory' }
   )
-  ensure_resource (
-    'file', "${base_dir}/var/lib/syslog-ng/patterndb",
-    {
-      ensure => 'directory',
-      purge => true,
-      recurse => true
-    }
-  )
+  file { "${var_dir}/patterndb":
+    ensure  => 'directory',
+    purge   => true,
+    recurse => true,
+  }
+
   file { $config_dir:
     ensure  => directory,
     purge   => true,
diff --git a/manifests/parser.pp b/manifests/parser.pp
index af2261f..dde73b9 100644
--- a/manifests/parser.pp
+++ b/manifests/parser.pp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
   })
   ensure_resource ('file', "patterndb::file::${name}", {
       'ensure' => 'present',
-      'path'   => "${patterndb::base_dir}/var/lib/syslog-ng/patterndb/${name}.xml"
+      'path'   => "${patterndb::var_dir}/patterndb/${name}.xml"
   })
   exec { "patterndb::merge::${name}":
     command     => "pdbtool merge -r --glob \\*.pdb -D ${patterndb::config_dir}/${name} -p ${patterndb::cache_dir}/patterndb/${name}.xml",
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
   }
 
   exec { "patterndb::deploy::${name}":
-    command     => "cp ${patterndb::cache_dir}/patterndb/${name}.xml ${patterndb::base_dir}/var/lib/syslog-ng/patterndb/",
+    command     => "cp ${patterndb::cache_dir}/patterndb/${name}.xml ${patterndb::var_dir}/patterndb/",
     logoutput   => true,
     path        => $facts['path'],
     refreshonly => true,
diff --git a/spec/defines/raw_ruleset_spec.rb b/spec/defines/raw_ruleset_spec.rb
index f2ea1cb..0cab2b2 100644
--- a/spec/defines/raw_ruleset_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/raw_ruleset_spec.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
         'myrawruleset'
       end
       let :pre_condition do
-        'class { "patterndb": base_dir => "BASEDIR", }'
+        'class { "patterndb": }'
       end
 
       context 'Raw ruleset with no params' do
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@
 
         case facts[:osfamily]
         when 'FreeBSD'
-          it { is_expected.to contain_file('BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_file('/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset.pdb') }
         else
-          it { is_expected.to contain_file('BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_file('/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset.pdb') }
         end
       end
 
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@
 
         case facts[:osfamily]
         when 'FreeBSD'
-          it { is_expected.to contain_file('BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset').with(ensure: 'directory') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_file('/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset').with(ensure: 'directory') }
         else
-          it { is_expected.to contain_file('BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset').with(ensure: 'directory') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_file('/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myrawruleset').with(ensure: 'directory') }
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/defines/simple_action_spec.rb b/spec/defines/simple_action_spec.rb
index 7a5ab10..6a65606 100644
--- a/spec/defines/simple_action_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/simple_action_spec.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
         }
       end
       let :pre_condition do
-        'class { "patterndb": base_dir => "/BASEDIR", }
+        'class { "patterndb": }
         patterndb::simple::ruleset { "myruleset":
           id => "RULESET_ID",
           pubdate => "1970-01-01",
diff --git a/spec/defines/simple_rule_spec.rb b/spec/defines/simple_rule_spec.rb
index f65d0f2..ce2470b 100644
--- a/spec/defines/simple_rule_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/simple_rule_spec.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
         }
       end
       let :pre_condition do
-        'class { "patterndb": base_dir => "/BASEDIR", }
+        'class { "patterndb": }
         patterndb::simple::ruleset { "myruleset":
           id => "RULESET_ID",
           pubdate => "1970-01-01",
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@
         when 'FreeBSD'
           it {
             is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with(
-              path: '/BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb'
+              path: '/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb'
             )
           }
         else
           it {
             is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with(
-              path: '/BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb'
+              path: '/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb'
             )
           }
         end
diff --git a/spec/defines/simple_ruleset_spec.rb b/spec/defines/simple_ruleset_spec.rb
index 8be632a..76a63cc 100644
--- a/spec/defines/simple_ruleset_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/simple_ruleset_spec.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
         }
       end
       let :pre_condition do
-        'class { "patterndb": base_dir => "/BASEDIR", }
+        'class { "patterndb": }
         Exec { path => ["/bin","/usr/bin"] }'
       end
 
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@
 
         case facts[:osfamily]
         when 'FreeBSD'
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
         else
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
         end
         it {
           is_expected.to contain_concat__fragment('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset-header').with_content(
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@
 
         case facts[:osfamily]
         when 'FreeBSD'
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
         else
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/myruleset.pdb') }
         end
         it {
           is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').that_notifies(
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@
 
         case facts[:osfamily]
         when 'FreeBSD'
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/PARSER/myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/PARSER/myruleset.pdb') }
         else
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/PARSER/myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/PARSER/myruleset.pdb') }
         end
 
         it {
@@ -322,9 +322,9 @@
 
         case facts[:osfamily]
         when 'FreeBSD'
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/123myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/usr/local/etc/patterndb.d/default/123myruleset.pdb') }
         else
-          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/BASEDIR/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/123myruleset.pdb') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_concat('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset').with('path' => '/etc/syslog-ng/patterndb.d/default/123myruleset.pdb') }
         end
         it {
           is_expected.to contain_concat__fragment('patterndb_simple_ruleset-myruleset-header').with_content(