diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 24720373d1..1e2eb31953 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -185,9 +185,24 @@ site.pp
           host: '127.0.0.1'
           port: '2003'
         mutator: "only_check_output"
+      'file':
+        command: '/etc/sensu/handlers/file.rb'
+      'mail':
+        command: 'mail -s 'sensu event' email@address.com'
+    sensu::handler_defaults:
+      type: 'pipe'
     sensu::checks:
       'file_test':
         command: '/usr/local/bin/check_file_test.sh'
+      'chef_client':
+        command: 'check-chef-client.rb'
+    sensu::check_defaults:
+      handlers: 'mail'
+    sensu::mutators:
+      'tag':
+        command: '/etc/sensu/mutators/tag.rb'
+      'graphite':
+        command: '/etc/sensu/plugins/graphite.rb'
     classes:
         - sensu
 
@@ -446,4 +461,3 @@ The following puppet modules exist for managing dashboards
 ## License
 
 See LICENSE file.
-
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 17e761ce1f..edca61c19b 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -346,7 +346,9 @@
   ### START Hiera Lookups ###
   $extensions                  = {},
   $handlers                    = {},
+  $handler_defaults            = {},
   $checks                      = {},
+  $check_defaults              = {},
   $mutators                    = {},
   ### END Hiera Lookups ###
 
@@ -437,8 +439,8 @@
 
   # Create resources from hiera lookups
   create_resources('::sensu::extension', $extensions)
-  create_resources('::sensu::handler', $handlers)
-  create_resources('::sensu::check', $checks)
+  create_resources('::sensu::handler', $handlers, $handler_defaults)
+  create_resources('::sensu::check', $checks, $check_defaults)
   create_resources('::sensu::mutator', $mutators)
 
   # Include everything and let each module determine its state.  This allows