diff --git a/lib/puppet/provider/sensu_client_subscription/json.rb b/lib/puppet/provider/sensu_client_subscription/json.rb
index 853a2af111..a16fc5608c 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/provider/sensu_client_subscription/json.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/provider/sensu_client_subscription/json.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ def initialize(*args)
     super
 
     begin
-      @conf = {'client' => { 'subscriptions' => JSON.parse(File.read("/etc/sensu/conf.d/subscription_#{resource[:name]}.json")) } }
+      @conf = JSON.parse(File.read("/etc/sensu/conf.d/subscription_#{resource[:name]}.json"))
     rescue
       @conf = {}
     end
@@ -28,19 +28,16 @@ def destroy
     @conf = nil
   end
 
-  def exists?
-    @conf.has_key? 'subscription'
-  end
-
   def subscriptions
     @conf['client']['subscriptions']
   end
 
   def subscriptions=(value)
     @conf['client']['subscriptions'] = value
-    munge do |value|
-      Array(value)
-    end
+  end
+
+  def exists?
+    @conf.has_key?('client') && @conf['client'].has_key?('subscriptions')
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/puppet/type/sensu_client_subscription.rb b/lib/puppet/type/sensu_client_subscription.rb
index 759b0f3344..82710f6ce6 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/type/sensu_client_subscription.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/type/sensu_client_subscription.rb
@@ -25,9 +25,12 @@ def initialize(*args)
     desc "The subscription name"
   end
 
-  newproperty(:subscriptions) do
-    desc "Subscriptions"
+  newparam(:subscriptions) do
+    desc "Subscriptions included"
     defaultto :name
+    munge do |value|
+      Array(value)
+    end
   end
 
   autorequire(:package) do