diff --git a/lib/puppet/util/filetype.rb b/lib/puppet/util/filetype.rb
index 97112a502..08f763ee5 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/util/filetype.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/util/filetype.rb
@@ -1,301 +1,303 @@
 # Basic classes for reading, writing, and emptying files.  Not much
 # to see here.
 
 require 'puppet/util/selinux'
 require 'tempfile'
 require 'fileutils'
 
 class Puppet::Util::FileType
   attr_accessor :loaded, :path, :synced
 
   class FileReadError < Puppet::Error; end
 
   include Puppet::Util::SELinux
 
   class << self
     attr_accessor :name
     include Puppet::Util::ClassGen
   end
 
   # Create a new filetype.
   def self.newfiletype(name, &block)
     @filetypes ||= {}
 
     klass = genclass(
       name,
       :block => block,
       :prefix => "FileType",
       :hash => @filetypes
     )
 
     # Rename the read and write methods, so that we're sure they
     # maintain the stats.
     klass.class_eval do
       # Rename the read method
       define_method(:real_read, instance_method(:read))
       define_method(:read) do
         begin
           val = real_read
           @loaded = Time.now
           if val
             return val.gsub(/# HEADER.*\n/,'')
           else
             return ""
           end
         rescue Puppet::Error => detail
           raise
         rescue => detail
           message = "#{self.class} could not read #{@path}: #{detail}"
           Puppet.log_exception(detail, message)
           raise Puppet::Error, message, detail.backtrace
         end
       end
 
       # And then the write method
       define_method(:real_write, instance_method(:write))
       define_method(:write) do |text|
         begin
           val = real_write(text)
           @synced = Time.now
           return val
         rescue Puppet::Error => detail
           raise
         rescue => detail
           message = "#{self.class} could not write #{@path}: #{detail}"
           Puppet.log_exception(detail, message)
           raise Puppet::Error, message, detail.backtrace
         end
       end
     end
   end
 
   def self.filetype(type)
     @filetypes[type]
   end
 
   # Pick or create a filebucket to use.
   def bucket
     @bucket ||= Puppet::Type.type(:filebucket).mkdefaultbucket.bucket
   end
 
   def initialize(path, default_mode = nil)
     raise ArgumentError.new("Path is nil") if path.nil?
     @path = path
     @default_mode = default_mode
   end
 
   # Arguments that will be passed to the execute method. Will set the uid
   # to the target user if the target user and the current user are not
   # the same
   def cronargs
     if uid = Puppet::Util.uid(@path) and uid == Puppet::Util::SUIDManager.uid
       {:failonfail => true, :combine => true}
     else
       {:failonfail => true, :combine => true, :uid => @path}
     end
   end
 
   # Operate on plain files.
   newfiletype(:flat) do
     # Back the file up before replacing it.
     def backup
       bucket.backup(@path) if Puppet::FileSystem.exist?(@path)
     end
 
     # Read the file.
     def read
       if Puppet::FileSystem.exist?(@path)
         File.read(@path)
       else
         return nil
       end
     end
 
     # Remove the file.
     def remove
       Puppet::FileSystem.unlink(@path) if Puppet::FileSystem.exist?(@path)
     end
 
     # Overwrite the file.
     def write(text)
       tf = Tempfile.new("puppet")
       tf.print text; tf.flush
       File.chmod(@default_mode, tf.path) if @default_mode
       FileUtils.cp(tf.path, @path)
       tf.close
       # If SELinux is present, we need to ensure the file has its expected context
       set_selinux_default_context(@path)
     end
   end
 
   # Operate on plain files.
   newfiletype(:ram) do
     @@tabs = {}
 
     def self.clear
       @@tabs.clear
     end
 
-    def initialize(path)
+    def initialize(path, default_mode = nil)
+      # default_mode is meaningless for this filetype,
+      # supported only for compatibility with :flat
       super
       @@tabs[@path] ||= ""
     end
 
     # Read the file.
     def read
       Puppet.info "Reading #{@path} from RAM"
       @@tabs[@path]
     end
 
     # Remove the file.
     def remove
       Puppet.info "Removing #{@path} from RAM"
       @@tabs[@path] = ""
     end
 
     # Overwrite the file.
     def write(text)
       Puppet.info "Writing #{@path} to RAM"
       @@tabs[@path] = text
     end
   end
 
   # Handle Linux-style cron tabs.
   newfiletype(:crontab) do
     def initialize(user)
       self.path = user
     end
 
     def path=(user)
       begin
         @uid = Puppet::Util.uid(user)
       rescue Puppet::Error => detail
         raise FileReadError, "Could not retrieve user #{user}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
       end
 
       # XXX We have to have the user name, not the uid, because some
       # systems *cough*linux*cough* require it that way
       @path = user
     end
 
     # Read a specific @path's cron tab.
     def read
       %x{#{cmdbase} -l 2>/dev/null}
     end
 
     # Remove a specific @path's cron tab.
     def remove
       if %w{Darwin FreeBSD DragonFly}.include?(Facter.value("operatingsystem"))
         %x{/bin/echo yes | #{cmdbase} -r 2>/dev/null}
       else
         %x{#{cmdbase} -r 2>/dev/null}
       end
     end
 
     # Overwrite a specific @path's cron tab; must be passed the @path name
     # and the text with which to create the cron tab.
     def write(text)
       IO.popen("#{cmdbase()} -", "w") { |p|
         p.print text
       }
     end
 
     private
 
     # Only add the -u flag when the @path is different.  Fedora apparently
     # does not think I should be allowed to set the @path to my own user name
     def cmdbase
       if @uid == Puppet::Util::SUIDManager.uid || Facter.value(:operatingsystem) == "HP-UX"
         return "crontab"
       else
         return "crontab -u #{@path}"
       end
     end
   end
 
   # SunOS has completely different cron commands; this class implements
   # its versions.
   newfiletype(:suntab) do
     # Read a specific @path's cron tab.
     def read
       Puppet::Util::Execution.execute(%w{crontab -l}, cronargs)
     rescue => detail
       case detail.to_s
       when /can't open your crontab/
         return ""
       when /you are not authorized to use cron/
         raise FileReadError, "User #{@path} not authorized to use cron", detail.backtrace
       else
         raise FileReadError, "Could not read crontab for #{@path}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
       end
     end
 
     # Remove a specific @path's cron tab.
     def remove
       Puppet::Util::Execution.execute(%w{crontab -r}, cronargs)
     rescue => detail
       raise FileReadError, "Could not remove crontab for #{@path}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
     end
 
     # Overwrite a specific @path's cron tab; must be passed the @path name
     # and the text with which to create the cron tab.
     def write(text)
       output_file = Tempfile.new("puppet_suntab")
       begin
         output_file.print text
         output_file.close
         # We have to chown the stupid file to the user.
         File.chown(Puppet::Util.uid(@path), nil, output_file.path)
         Puppet::Util::Execution.execute(["crontab", output_file.path], cronargs)
       rescue => detail
         raise FileReadError, "Could not write crontab for #{@path}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
       ensure
         output_file.close
         output_file.unlink
       end
     end
   end
 
   #  Support for AIX crontab with output different than suntab's crontab command.
   newfiletype(:aixtab) do
     # Read a specific @path's cron tab.
     def read
       Puppet::Util::Execution.execute(%w{crontab -l}, cronargs)
     rescue => detail
       case detail.to_s
       when /Cannot open a file in the .* directory/
         return ""
       when /You are not authorized to use the cron command/
         raise FileReadError, "User #{@path} not authorized to use cron", detail.backtrace
       else
         raise FileReadError, "Could not read crontab for #{@path}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
       end
     end
 
     # Remove a specific @path's cron tab.
     def remove
       Puppet::Util::Execution.execute(%w{crontab -r}, cronargs)
     rescue => detail
       raise FileReadError, "Could not remove crontab for #{@path}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
     end
 
     # Overwrite a specific @path's cron tab; must be passed the @path name
     # and the text with which to create the cron tab.
     def write(text)
       output_file = Tempfile.new("puppet_aixtab")
 
       begin
         output_file.print text
         output_file.close
         # We have to chown the stupid file to the user.
         File.chown(Puppet::Util.uid(@path), nil, output_file.path)
         Puppet::Util::Execution.execute(["crontab", output_file.path], cronargs)
       rescue => detail
         raise FileReadError, "Could not write crontab for #{@path}: #{detail}", detail.backtrace
       ensure
         output_file.close
         output_file.unlink
       end
     end
   end
 end