diff --git a/manifests/filter.pp b/manifests/filter.pp
index 8c7bec8..376c220 100644
--- a/manifests/filter.pp
+++ b/manifests/filter.pp
@@ -92,7 +92,10 @@ define fail2ban::filter (
 
   $manage_file_content = $filtertemplate ? {
     ''        => undef,
-    default   => template($filtertemplate),
+    default   => $filtersource ? {
+      ''        => template($filtertemplate),
+      default   => undef,
+    }
   }
 
   file { "${real_filtername}.local":
diff --git a/spec/defines/fail2ban_filter_spec.rb b/spec/defines/fail2ban_filter_spec.rb
index 6eac9af..2b7b712 100644
--- a/spec/defines/fail2ban_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/fail2ban_filter_spec.rb
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ b = 2
 not c
 "
      end
- 
+
      it { should contain_file('sample2.local').with_path('/etc/fail2ban/filter.d/sample2.local').with_content(expected) }
      it { should contain_file('sample2.local').without_source }
    end
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ not c
     end
 
     it { should contain_file('sample3.local').with_path('/etc/fail2ban/filter.d/sample3.local').with_source('puppet:///some/path/to/source') }
+    it { should contain_file('sample3.local').with_content(nil) }
     it { should contain_file('sample3.local').without_template }
   end
 end