diff --git a/manifests/plugin/protocols.pp b/manifests/plugin/protocols.pp
index fafa8d9a1..50b3e96d0 100644
--- a/manifests/plugin/protocols.pp
+++ b/manifests/plugin/protocols.pp
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # See http://collectd.org/documentation/manpages/collectd.conf.5.shtml#plugin_protocols
 class collectd::plugin::protocols (
-  $ensure                 = 'present',
-  Boolean $ignoreselected = false,
-  Array $values           = []
+  $ensure = 'present',
+  Optional[Boolean] $ignoreselected = undef,
+  Array $values = []
 ) {
   include collectd
 
diff --git a/spec/classes/collectd_plugin_protocols_spec.rb b/spec/classes/collectd_plugin_protocols_spec.rb
index 0e5d2efe0..57344de28 100644
--- a/spec/classes/collectd_plugin_protocols_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/collectd_plugin_protocols_spec.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,30 @@
         end
       end
 
+      describe 'ignoreselected' do
+        context ':ignoreselected => false' do
+          let :params do
+            {
+              values: %w[protocol1 protocol2],
+              ignoreselected: false
+            }
+          end
+
+          it { is_expected.to contain_file('protocols.load').with_content(%r{<Plugin "protocols">\n\s*Value "protocol1"\n\s*Value "protocol2"\n\s*IgnoreSelected false\n</Plugin>}) }
+        end
+
+        context ':ignoreselected => true' do
+          let :params do
+            {
+              values: %w[protocol1 protocol2],
+              ignoreselected: true
+            }
+          end
+
+          it { is_expected.to contain_file('protocols.load').with_content(%r{<Plugin "protocols">\n\s*Value "protocol1"\n\s*Value "protocol2"\n\s*IgnoreSelected true\n</Plugin>}) }
+        end
+      end
+
       context ':ensure => absent' do
         let :params do
           { ensure: 'absent' }
diff --git a/templates/plugin/protocols.conf.erb b/templates/plugin/protocols.conf.erb
index acdee21ca..90cad6ae9 100644
--- a/templates/plugin/protocols.conf.erb
+++ b/templates/plugin/protocols.conf.erb
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 <% if @values -%>
 <Plugin "protocols">
-<% 
+<%
 if @values
-  @values.each do |value| 
+  @values.each do |value|
 -%>
   Value "<%= value %>"
 <%
   end
 end
 -%>
-<% if @ignore_selected != nil -%>
-  IgnoreSelected <%= @ignore_selected %>
+<% unless @ignoreselected == nil -%>
+  IgnoreSelected <%= @ignoreselected %>
 <% end -%>
 </Plugin>
 <% end -%>