diff --git a/lib/puppet/type/file_line.rb b/lib/puppet/type/file_line.rb
index 8559cfa83..f6fe1d0d3 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/type/file_line.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/type/file_line.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
   EOT
 
   ensurable do
+    defaultvalues
     defaultto :present
   end