diff --git a/REFERENCE.md b/REFERENCE.md
index dddd4d2..b34de69 100644
--- a/REFERENCE.md
+++ b/REFERENCE.md
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@ The following parameters are available in the `promtail` class:
 * [`password_file_path`](#password_file_path)
 * [`password_file_content`](#password_file_content)
 * [`source_url`](#source_url)
+* [`install_method`](#install_method)
+* [`package_ensure`](#package_ensure)
+* [`package_name`](#package_name)
 
 ##### <a name="service_enable"></a>`service_enable`
 
@@ -228,6 +231,30 @@ The URL from which promtail packages can be downloaded
 
 Default value: `'https://github.com/grafana/loki/releases/download'`
 
+##### <a name="install_method"></a>`install_method`
+
+Data type: `Enum['package', 'archive']`
+
+The way how promtail shall be installed, supported are archive (binary from GitHub) or package from an existing repo
+
+Default value: `'archive'`
+
+##### <a name="package_ensure"></a>`package_ensure`
+
+Data type: `Enum['installed', 'absent']`
+
+The desired ensure state of the package. Only used if `$install_method` is set to `package`
+
+Default value: `'installed'`
+
+##### <a name="package_name"></a>`package_name`
+
+Data type: `String[1]`
+
+The name of the package. Only used if `$install_method` is set to `package`
+
+Default value: `'promtail'`
+
 ## Functions
 
 ### <a name="promtailstrip_yaml_header"></a>`promtail::strip_yaml_header`
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 6e89ff2..608f21f 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@
 # @param [Stdlib::HTTPUrl] source_url
 #   The URL from which promtail packages can be downloaded
 #
+# @param install_method
+#   The way how promtail shall be installed, supported are archive (binary from GitHub) or package from an existing repo
+#
+# @param package_ensure
+#   The desired ensure state of the package. Only used if `$install_method` is set to `package`
+#
+# @param package_name
+#   The name of the package. Only used if `$install_method` is set to `package`
 # @example
 #   include promtail
 #
@@ -129,13 +137,16 @@
   Hash                           $positions_config_hash,
   Hash                           $scrape_configs_hash,
   Stdlib::Absolutepath           $bin_dir,
-  String[1]                      $checksum,
   String[1]                      $version,
+  Optional[String[1]]            $checksum              = undef,
   Optional[Hash]                 $server_config_hash    = undef,
   Optional[Hash]                 $target_config_hash    = undef,
   Optional[Stdlib::Absolutepath] $password_file_path    = undef,
   Optional[Sensitive[String[1]]] $password_file_content = undef,
   Stdlib::HTTPUrl                $source_url            = 'https://github.com/grafana/loki/releases/download',
+  Enum['package', 'archive']     $install_method        = 'archive',
+  Enum['installed', 'absent']    $package_ensure        = 'installed',
+  String[1]                      $package_name          = 'promtail',
 ) {
   Class['promtail::install']
   -> Class['promtail::config']
diff --git a/manifests/install.pp b/manifests/install.pp
index 3f415c5..79ce527 100644
--- a/manifests/install.pp
+++ b/manifests/install.pp
@@ -4,62 +4,69 @@
 #
 # @api private
 class promtail::install {
-  include archive
+  if $promtail::install_method == 'archive' {
+    assert_type(String[1], $promtail::checksum)
+    include archive
 
-  case $facts['os']['architecture'] {
-    'x86_64', 'amd64': { $arch = 'amd64' }
-    'aarch64':         { $arch = 'arm64' }
-    'armv7l':          { $arch = 'arm' }
-    default:           { fail("Unsupported kernel architecture: ${facts['os']['architecture']}") }
-  }
+    case $facts['os']['architecture'] {
+      'x86_64', 'amd64': { $arch = 'amd64' }
+      'aarch64':         { $arch = 'arm64' }
+      'armv7l':          { $arch = 'arm' }
+      default:           { fail("Unsupported kernel architecture: ${facts['os']['architecture']}") }
+    }
 
-  case $facts['kernel'] {
-    'Linux': {
-      $data_dir = '/usr/local/promtail_data'
-      if versioncmp($promtail::version, 'v0.3.0') > 0 {
-        $release_file_name = "promtail-linux-${arch}"
-      } else {
-        $release_file_name = "promtail_linux_${arch}"
+    case $facts['kernel'] {
+      'Linux': {
+        $data_dir = '/usr/local/promtail_data'
+        if versioncmp($promtail::version, 'v0.3.0') > 0 {
+          $release_file_name = "promtail-linux-${arch}"
+        } else {
+          $release_file_name = "promtail_linux_${arch}"
+        }
       }
+      default: { fail("${facts['kernel']} is not yet supported") }
     }
-    default: { fail("${facts['kernel']} is not yet supported") }
-  }
 
-  if versioncmp($promtail::version, 'v1.0.0') > 0 {
-    $archive_type = 'zip'
-  } else {
-    $archive_type = 'gz'
-  }
+    if versioncmp($promtail::version, 'v1.0.0') > 0 {
+      $archive_type = 'zip'
+    } else {
+      $archive_type = 'gz'
+    }
 
-  $version_dir = "${data_dir}/promtail-${promtail::version}"
-  $binary_path = "${version_dir}/${release_file_name}"
+    $version_dir = "${data_dir}/promtail-${promtail::version}"
+    $binary_path = "${version_dir}/${release_file_name}"
 
-  file { [$data_dir, $version_dir]:
-    ensure => directory,
-  }
+    file { [$data_dir, $version_dir]:
+      ensure => directory,
+    }
 
-  archive { "${binary_path}.gz":
-    ensure        => present,
-    source        => "${promtail::source_url}/${promtail::version}/${release_file_name}.${archive_type}",
-    extract       => true,
-    extract_path  => $version_dir,
-    creates       => $binary_path,
-    checksum      => $promtail::checksum,
-    checksum_type => 'sha256',
-    cleanup       => false,
-  }
+    archive { "${binary_path}.gz":
+      ensure        => present,
+      source        => "${promtail::source_url}/${promtail::version}/${release_file_name}.${archive_type}",
+      extract       => true,
+      extract_path  => $version_dir,
+      creates       => $binary_path,
+      checksum      => $promtail::checksum,
+      checksum_type => 'sha256',
+      cleanup       => false,
+    }
 
-  file {
-    $binary_path:
-      ensure  => file,
-      mode    => '0755',
-      require => Archive["${binary_path}.gz"],
-      ;
-    "${promtail::bin_dir}/promtail":
-      ensure  => link,
-      target  => $binary_path,
-      require => File[$binary_path],
-      notify  => Service['promtail'],
-      ;
+    file {
+      $binary_path:
+        ensure  => file,
+        mode    => '0755',
+        require => Archive["${binary_path}.gz"],
+        ;
+      "${promtail::bin_dir}/promtail":
+        ensure  => link,
+        target  => $binary_path,
+        require => File[$binary_path],
+        notify  => Service['promtail'],
+        ;
+    }
+  } elsif $promtail::install_method == 'package' {
+    package { $promtail::package_name:
+      ensure => $promtail::package_ensure,
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/manifests/service.pp b/manifests/service.pp
index e974a04..72cbabd 100644
--- a/manifests/service.pp
+++ b/manifests/service.pp
@@ -6,15 +6,16 @@
 class promtail::service {
   case $facts['kernel'] {
     'Linux': {
-      systemd::unit_file { 'promtail.service':
-        source => 'puppet:///modules/promtail/promtail.service',
-        notify => Service['promtail'],
+      if $promtail::install_method == 'archive' {
+        systemd::unit_file { 'promtail.service':
+          source => 'puppet:///modules/promtail/promtail.service',
+          notify => Service['promtail'],
+        }
       }
 
       service { 'promtail':
-        ensure  => $promtail::service_ensure,
-        enable  => $promtail::service_enable,
-        require => Systemd::Unit_file['promtail.service'],
+        ensure => $promtail::service_ensure,
+        enable => $promtail::service_enable,
       }
     }
     default: { fail("${facts['kernel']} is not supported") }
diff --git a/spec/classes/install_spec.rb b/spec/classes/install_spec.rb
index 0eb5908..fda7795 100644
--- a/spec/classes/install_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/install_spec.rb
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 describe 'promtail::install' do
   on_supported_os.each do |os, os_facts|
     context "on #{os}" do
+      let(:facts) { os_facts }
+
       context 'with valid params' do
-        let(:facts) { os_facts }
         let(:pre_condition) do
           "class { 'promtail':
             password_file_path    => '/etc/promtail/.gc_pw',
@@ -45,9 +46,30 @@
           }"
         end
 
-        it { is_expected.to compile }
+        it { is_expected.to compile.with_all_deps }
         it { is_expected.to contain_file('/usr/local/bin/promtail').with_ensure('link') }
         it { is_expected.to contain_file('/usr/local/promtail_data').with_ensure('directory') }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_file('/usr/local/promtail_data/promtail-v2.0.0/promtail-linux-amd64').with_ensure('file') }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_file('/usr/local/promtail_data/promtail-v2.0.0').with_ensure('directory') }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_archive('/usr/local/promtail_data/promtail-v2.0.0/promtail-linux-amd64.gz') }
+        it { is_expected.not_to contain_package('promtail') }
+      end
+
+      context 'with package based installation' do
+        let(:pre_condition) do
+          "class { 'promtail':
+            server_config_hash    => {},
+            clients_config_hash => {},
+            positions_config_hash => {},
+            scrape_configs_hash => {},
+            install_method => 'package',
+          }"
+        end
+
+        it { is_expected.to compile.with_all_deps }
+        it { is_expected.not_to contain_file('/usr/local/bin/promtail') }
+        it { is_expected.not_to contain_file('/usr/local/promtail_data') }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_package('promtail') }
       end
     end
   end