diff --git a/lib/puppet/node.rb b/lib/puppet/node.rb
index e23472ebf..2d3ac712e 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/node.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/node.rb
@@ -1,53 +1,61 @@
 # A simplistic class for managing the node information itself.
 class Puppet::Node
     attr_accessor :name, :classes, :parameters, :source, :ipaddress, :names
     attr_reader :time
     attr_writer :environment
 
     # Do not return environments tha are empty string, and use
     # explicitly set environments, then facts, then a central env
     # value.
     def environment
         unless @environment and @environment != ""
             if env = parameters["environment"] and env != ""
                 @environment = env
             elsif env = Puppet[:environment] and env != ""
                 @environment = env
             else
                 @environment = nil
             end
         end
         @environment
     end
 
     def initialize(name, options = {})
         @name = name
 
         # Provide a default value.
-        @names = [name]
+        if names = options[:names]
+            if names.is_a?(String)
+                @names = [names]
+            else
+                @names = names
+            end
+        else
+            @names = [name]
+        end
 
         if classes = options[:classes]
             if classes.is_a?(String)
                 @classes = [classes]
             else
                 @classes = classes
             end
         else
             @classes = []
         end
 
         @parameters = options[:parameters] || {}
 
         @environment = options[:environment] 
 
         @time = Time.now
     end
 
     # Merge the node facts with parameters from the node source.
     # This is only called if the node source has 'fact_merge' set to true.
     def fact_merge(facts)
         facts.each do |name, value|
             @parameters[name] = value unless @parameters.include?(name)
         end
     end
 end
diff --git a/spec/unit/other/node.rb b/spec/unit/other/node.rb
index a29fb23cf..66d5ba9d7 100755
--- a/spec/unit/other/node.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/other/node.rb
@@ -1,96 +1,101 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper'
 
 describe Puppet::Node, " when initializing" do
     before do
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testnode")
     end
 
     it "should set the node name" do
         @node.name.should == "testnode"
     end
 
     it "should default to an empty parameter hash" do
         @node.parameters.should == {}
     end
 
     it "should default to an empty class array" do
         @node.classes.should == []
     end
 
     it "should note its creation time" do
         @node.time.should be_instance_of(Time)
     end
 
     it "should accept parameters passed in during initialization" do
         params = {"a" => "b"}
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testing", :parameters => params)
         @node.parameters.should == params
     end
 
     it "should accept classes passed in during initialization" do
         classes = %w{one two}
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testing", :classes => classes)
         @node.classes.should == classes
     end
 
     it "should always return classes as an array" do
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testing", :classes => "myclass")
         @node.classes.should == ["myclass"]
     end
 
     it "should accept the environment during initialization" do
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testing", :environment => "myenv")
         @node.environment.should == "myenv"
     end
+
+    it "should accept names passed in" do
+        @node = Puppet::Node.new("testing", :names => ["myenv"])
+        @node.names.should == ["myenv"]
+    end
 end
 
 describe Puppet::Node, " when returning the environment" do
     before do
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testnode")
     end
 
     it "should return the 'environment' fact if present and there is no explicit environment" do
         @node.parameters = {"environment" => "myenv"}
         @node.environment.should == "myenv"
     end
 
     it "should return the central environment if there is no environment fact nor explicit environment" do
         Puppet.config.expects(:[]).with(:environment).returns(:centralenv)
         @node.environment.should == :centralenv
     end
 
     it "should not use an explicit environment that is an empty string" do
         @node.environment == ""
         @node.environment.should be_nil
     end
 
     it "should not use an environment fact that is an empty string" do
         @node.parameters = {"environment" => ""}
         @node.environment.should be_nil
     end
 
     it "should not use an explicit environment that is an empty string" do
         Puppet.config.expects(:[]).with(:environment).returns(nil)
         @node.environment.should be_nil
     end
 end
 
 describe Puppet::Node, " when merging facts" do
     before do
         @node = Puppet::Node.new("testnode")
     end
 
     it "should prefer parameters already set on the node over facts from the node" do
         @node.parameters = {"one" => "a"}
         @node.fact_merge("one" => "c")
         @node.parameters["one"].should == "a"
     end
 
     it "should add passed parameters to the parameter list" do
         @node.parameters = {"one" => "a"}
         @node.fact_merge("two" => "b")
         @node.parameters["two"].should == "b"
     end
 end