diff --git a/manifests/create.pp b/manifests/create.pp
index f3f6eea..7218092 100644
--- a/manifests/create.pp
+++ b/manifests/create.pp
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 # Create an empty NSS database with a password file.
 #
 # Parameters:
-#   $owner         - required - the file/directory user
-#   $group         - required - the file/directory group
-#   $password         - required - password to set on the database
-#   $mode             - optional - defaults to '0600'
-#   $certdir_mode     - optional - defaults to '0700'
+#   $owner        - required - the file/directory user
+#   $group        - required - the file/directory group
+#   $password     - required - password to set on the database
+#   $certdir      - optional - defaults to title
+#   $mode         - optional - defaults to '0600'
+#   $certdir_mode - optional - defaults to '0700'
 #
 # Actions:
 #   creates a new NSS database, consisting of 4 files:
@@ -29,21 +30,21 @@
   $owner,
   $group,
   $password,
+  $certdir        = $title,
   $mode           = '0600',
   $certdir_mode   = '0700',
   $manage_certdir = true
 ) {
   include nssdb
 
-  validate_absolute_path($title)
-  $certdir = $title
+  validate_absolute_path($certdir)
 
   if $manage_certdir {
     file { $certdir:
-      ensure  => directory,
-      mode    => $certdir_mode,
-      owner   => $owner,
-      group   => $group,
+      ensure => directory,
+      mode   => $certdir_mode,
+      owner  => $owner,
+      group  => $group,
     }
 
     $require_certdir = File[$certdir]
diff --git a/spec/defines/nssdb_create_spec.rb b/spec/defines/nssdb_create_spec.rb
index e4301d0..81c68dc 100644
--- a/spec/defines/nssdb_create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/nssdb_create_spec.rb
@@ -69,9 +69,11 @@
   end # default params
 
   context 'all params' do
-    let(:title) { '/obsolete' }
+    # when certdir is set, title should not have to be an absolute path
+    let(:title) { 'foo' }
     let(:params) do
       {
+        :certdir        => '/obsolete',
         :owner          => 'nobody',
         :group          => 'nobody',
         :mode           => '0660',
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@
             :owner   => 'nobody',
             :group   => 'nobody',
             :mode    => '0660',
-            :require => [ 'File[/obsolete/password.conf]', 'Exec[create_nss_db_/obsolete]']
+            :require => [ 'File[/obsolete/password.conf]', 'Exec[create_nss_db_foo]']
           )
         end
       end
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@
 
     context 'create nss db' do
       it do
-        should contain_exec('create_nss_db_/obsolete').with(
+        should contain_exec('create_nss_db_foo').with(
           :command => %r{-d /obsolete -f /obsolete},
           :creates => [
             '/obsolete/cert8.db',