diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index be9d937..e5e7bc8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -152,10 +152,12 @@ This will mount /data on client in /share/data.
     }
     # ensure is passed to mount, which will make the client not mount it
     # the directory automatically, just add it to fstab
+    # The directory on the NFS server is not created automatically.
     nfs::server::export { '/media_library':
       ensure  => 'present',
       nfstag     => 'media',
       clients => '10.0.0.0/24(rw,insecure,async,no_root_squash) localhost(rw)',
+      create_dir => false,
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/REFERENCE.md b/REFERENCE.md
index ad547db..35ba4dd 100644
--- a/REFERENCE.md
+++ b/REFERENCE.md
@@ -1109,6 +1109,7 @@ The following parameters are available in the `nfs::functions::create_export` de
 * [`owner`](#-nfs--functions--create_export--owner)
 * [`group`](#-nfs--functions--create_export--group)
 * [`mode`](#-nfs--functions--create_export--mode)
+* [`create_dir`](#-nfs--functions--create_export--create_dir)
 
 ##### <a name="-nfs--functions--create_export--clients"></a>`clients`
 
@@ -1148,6 +1149,15 @@ String. Sets the permissions of the exported directory.
 
 Default value: `undef`
 
+##### <a name="-nfs--functions--create_export--create_dir"></a>`create_dir`
+
+Data type: `Boolean`
+
+Boolean.  Create the directory to be exported.
+Defaults to true.
+
+Default value: `true`
+
 ### <a name="nfs--functions--mkdir"></a>`nfs::functions::mkdir`
 
 Function: nfs::functions::mkdir
@@ -1260,6 +1270,7 @@ The following parameters are available in the `nfs::server::export` defined type
 * [`v3_export_name`](#-nfs--server--export--v3_export_name)
 * [`v4_export_name`](#-nfs--server--export--v4_export_name)
 * [`nfsv4_bindmount_enable`](#-nfs--server--export--nfsv4_bindmount_enable)
+* [`create_dir`](#-nfs--server--export--create_dir)
 
 ##### <a name="-nfs--server--export--clients"></a>`clients`
 
@@ -1402,3 +1413,12 @@ Data type: `Boolean`
 
 Default value: `$nfs::nfsv4_bindmount_enable`
 
+##### <a name="-nfs--server--export--create_dir"></a>`create_dir`
+
+Data type: `Boolean`
+
+Boolean.  Create the directory to be exported.
+Defaults to true.
+
+Default value: `true`
+
diff --git a/manifests/functions/create_export.pp b/manifests/functions/create_export.pp
index b610135..5d959d1 100644
--- a/manifests/functions/create_export.pp
+++ b/manifests/functions/create_export.pp
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 # @param mode
 #   String. Sets the permissions of the exported directory.
 #
+# @param create_dir
+#   Boolean.  Create the directory to be exported.
+#   Defaults to true.
+#
 # @author
 # * Daniel Klockenkaemper <mailto:dk@marketing-factory.de>
 # * Martin Alfke <tuxmea@gmail.com>
@@ -26,6 +30,7 @@
 define nfs::functions::create_export (
   Variant[String[1], Array[String[1]]] $clients,
   String[1]                            $ensure = 'present',
+  Boolean                              $create_dir = true,
   Optional[String[1]]                  $owner  = undef,
   Optional[String[1]]                  $group  = undef,
   Optional[String[1]]                  $mode   = undef,
@@ -38,13 +43,16 @@
       content => $line,
     }
 
+    # Create the directory path only if a File resource isn't
+    #     # defined previously AND the $create_dir boolean is true.
     unless defined(File[$name]) {
-      file { $name:
-        ensure                  => directory,
-        owner                   => $owner,
-        group                   => $group,
-        mode                    => $mode,
-        selinux_ignore_defaults => true,
+      if $create_dir {
+        file { $name:
+          ensure => directory,
+          owner  => $owner,
+          group  => $group,
+          mode   => $mode,
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/manifests/server/export.pp b/manifests/server/export.pp
index 3b5a26b..f15312b 100644
--- a/manifests/server/export.pp
+++ b/manifests/server/export.pp
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@
 # @param v4_export_name
 # @param nfsv4_bindmount_enable
 #
-# @examples
+# @param create_dir
+#   Boolean.  Create the directory to be exported.
+#   Defaults to true.
+#
+# @example
 #
 # class { '::nfs':
 #   server_enabled             => true,
@@ -101,6 +105,7 @@
   Optional[String[1]] $mode                   = undef,
   String[1]           $server                 = $facts['clientcert'],
   Boolean             $nfsv4_bindmount_enable = $nfs::nfsv4_bindmount_enable,
+  Boolean             $create_dir             = true,
 ) {
   if $nfs::server::nfs_v4 {
     if $nfsv4_bindmount_enable {
@@ -120,12 +125,13 @@
     }
 
     nfs::functions::create_export { $export_title:
-      ensure  => $ensure,
-      clients => $clients,
-      owner   => $owner,
-      group   => $group,
-      mode    => $mode,
-      require => $create_export_require,
+      ensure     => $ensure,
+      clients    => $clients,
+      create_dir => $create_dir,
+      owner      => $owner,
+      group      => $group,
+      mode       => $mode,
+      require    => $create_export_require,
     }
 
     if $mount != undef {
@@ -154,11 +160,12 @@
     }
 
     nfs::functions::create_export { $v3_export_name:
-      ensure  => $ensure,
-      clients => $clients,
-      owner   => $owner,
-      group   => $group,
-      mode    => $mode,
+      ensure     => $ensure,
+      clients    => $clients,
+      create_dir => $create_dir,
+      owner      => $owner,
+      group      => $group,
+      mode       => $mode,
     }
 
     if $nfs::storeconfigs_enabled {
diff --git a/metadata.json b/metadata.json
index a483a44..d3269c2 100644
--- a/metadata.json
+++ b/metadata.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     {"name":"puppetlabs/concat","version_requirement":">= 1.1.2 < 10.0.0"},
     {"name":"puppetlabs/transition","version_requirement":">= 0.1.0 < 3.0.0"},
     {"name":"puppet/augeasproviders_core","version_requirement":">= 2.1.5 < 5.0.0"},
+    {"name":"edgej-filepath","version_requirement":">= 1.0.0"},
     {"name":"puppet/augeasproviders_shellvar","version_requirement":">= 1.2.0 <= 7.0.0"},
     {"name":"puppetlabs/augeas_core","version_requirement":">= 1.2.0 <= 2.0.0"},
     {"name":"puppetlabs/mount_core","version_requirement":">= 1.2.0 <= 2.0.0"}