diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 29930b1..b729e99 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -1,280 +1,284 @@
 # == Define: concat
 #
 # Sets up so that you can use fragments to build a final config file,
 #
 # === Options:
 #
 # [*ensure*]
 #   Present/Absent
 # [*path*]
 #   The path to the final file. Use this in case you want to differentiate
 #   between the name of a resource and the file path.  Note: Use the name you
 #   provided in the target of your fragments.
 # [*owner*]
 #   Who will own the file
 # [*group*]
 #   Who will own the file
 # [*mode*]
 #   The mode of the final file
 # [*force*]
 #   Enables creating empty files if no fragments are present
 # [*warn*]
 #   Adds a normal shell style comment top of the file indicating that it is
 #   built by puppet
 # [*force*]
 # [*backup*]
 #   Controls the filebucketing behavior of the final file and see File type
 #   reference for its use.  Defaults to 'puppet'
 # [*backup_fragments*]
 #   Enables backup of fragments using the backup setting of the target 
 #   concat file. Defaults to 'false'
 # [*replace*]
 #   Whether to replace a file that already exists on the local system
 # [*order*]
 # [*ensure_newline*]
 # [*gnu*]
 #   Deprecated
 #
 # === Actions:
 # * Creates fragment directories if it didn't exist already
 # * Executes the concatfragments.rb script to build the final file, this
 #   script will create directory/fragments.concat.   Execution happens only
 #   when:
 #   * The directory changes
 #   * fragments.concat != final destination, this means rebuilds will happen
 #     whenever someone changes or deletes the final file.  Checking is done
 #     using /usr/bin/cmp.
 #   * The Exec gets notified by something else - like the concat::fragment
 #     define
 # * Copies the file over to the final destination using a file resource
 #
 # === Aliases:
 #
 # * The exec can notified using Exec["concat_/path/to/file"] or
 #   Exec["concat_/path/to/directory"]
 # * The final file can be referenced as File["/path/to/file"] or
 #   File["concat_/path/to/file"]
 #
 define concat(
   $ensure           = 'present',
   $path             = $name,
   $owner            = undef,
   $group            = undef,
   $mode             = '0644',
   $warn             = false,
   $force            = false,
   $backup           = 'puppet',
   $backup_fragments = false,
   $replace          = true,
   $order            = 'alpha',
   $ensure_newline   = false,
   $validate_cmd     = undef,
   $gnu              = undef
 ) {
   validate_re($ensure, '^present$|^absent$')
   validate_absolute_path($path)
-  validate_string($owner)
-  validate_string($group)
   validate_string($mode)
+  if ! (is_string($owner) or is_integer($owner)) {
+    fail("\$owner must be a string or integer, got ${owner}")
+  }
+  if ! (is_string($group) or is_integer($group)) {
+    fail("\$group must be a string or integer, got ${group}")
+  }
   if ! (is_string($warn) or $warn == true or $warn == false) {
     fail('$warn is not a string or boolean')
   }
   validate_bool($force)
   if ! concat_is_bool($backup) and ! is_string($backup) {
     fail('$backup must be string or bool!')
   }
   validate_bool($backup_fragments)
   validate_bool($replace)
   validate_re($order, '^alpha$|^numeric$')
   validate_bool($ensure_newline)
   if $validate_cmd and ! is_string($validate_cmd) {
     fail('$validate_cmd must be a string')
   }
   if $gnu {
     warning('The $gnu parameter to concat is deprecated and has no effect')
   }
 
   include concat::setup
 
   $safe_name            = regsubst($name, '[/:]', '_', 'G')
   $concatdir            = $concat::setup::concatdir
   $fragdir              = "${concatdir}/${safe_name}"
   $concat_name          = 'fragments.concat.out'
   $script_command       = $concat::setup::script_command
   $default_warn_message = '# This file is managed by Puppet. DO NOT EDIT.'
   $bool_warn_message    = 'Using stringified boolean values (\'true\', \'yes\', \'on\', \'false\', \'no\', \'off\') to represent boolean true/false as the $warn parameter to concat is deprecated and will be treated as the warning message in a future release'
 
   # lint:ignore:quoted_booleans
   case $warn {
     true: {
       $warn_message = $default_warn_message
     }
     # lint:ignore:quoted_booleans
     'true', 'yes', 'on': {
     # lint:endignore
       warning($bool_warn_message)
       $warn_message = $default_warn_message
     }
     false: {
       $warn_message = ''
     }
     # lint:ignore:quoted_booleans
     'false', 'no', 'off': {
     # lint:endignore
       warning($bool_warn_message)
       $warn_message = ''
     }
     default: {
       $warn_message = $warn
     }
   }
   # lint:endignore
 
   $warnmsg_escaped = regsubst($warn_message, '\'', '\'\\\'\'', 'G')
   $warnflag = $warnmsg_escaped ? {
     ''      => '',
     default => "-w '${warnmsg_escaped}'"
   }
 
   $forceflag = $force ? {
     true  => '-f',
     false => '',
   }
 
   $orderflag = $order ? {
     'numeric' => '-n',
     'alpha'   => '',
   }
 
   $newlineflag = $ensure_newline ? {
     true  => '-l',
     false => '',
   }
 
   if $ensure == 'present' {
     file { $fragdir:
       ensure => directory,
       mode   => '0750',
       backup => false,
     }
 
     file { "${fragdir}/fragments":
       ensure  => directory,
       mode    => '0750',
       force   => true,
       ignore  => ['.svn', '.git', '.gitignore'],
       notify  => Exec["concat_${name}"],
       backup  => false,
       purge   => true,
       recurse => true,
     }
 
     file { "${fragdir}/fragments.concat":
       ensure => present,
       mode   => '0640',
       backup => false,
     }
 
     file { "${fragdir}/${concat_name}":
       ensure => present,
       mode   => '0640',
       backup => false,
     }
 
     file { $name:
       ensure  => present,
       owner   => $owner,
       group   => $group,
       mode    => $mode,
       replace => $replace,
       path    => $path,
       alias   => "concat_${name}",
       source  => "${fragdir}/${concat_name}",
       backup  => $backup,
     }
 
     # Only newer versions of puppet 3.x support the validate_cmd parameter
     if $validate_cmd {
       File[$name] {
         validate_cmd => $validate_cmd,
       }
     }
 
     # remove extra whitespace from string interpolation to make testing easier
     $command = strip(regsubst("${script_command} -o \"${fragdir}/${concat_name}\" -d \"${fragdir}\" ${warnflag} ${forceflag} ${orderflag} ${newlineflag}", '\s+', ' ', 'G'))
 
     # make sure ruby is in the path for PE
     if defined('$is_pe') and str2bool("${::is_pe}") { # lint:ignore:only_variable_string
       if $::kernel == 'windows' {
         $command_path = "${::env_windows_installdir}/bin:${::path}"
       } else {
         $command_path = "/opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin:/opt/puppet/bin:${::path}"
       }
     } elsif $::kernel == 'windows' {
       $command_path = $::path
     } else {
       $command_path = "/opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin:${::path}"
     }
 
     # if puppet is running as root, this exec should also run as root to allow
     # the concatfragments.rb script to potentially be installed in path that
     # may not be accessible by a target non-root owner.
     exec { "concat_${name}":
       alias     => "concat_${fragdir}",
       command   => $command,
       notify    => File[$name],
       subscribe => File[$fragdir],
       unless    => "${command} -t",
       path      => $command_path,
       user      => undef,
       group     => undef,
       require   => [
         File[$fragdir],
         File["${fragdir}/fragments"],
         File["${fragdir}/fragments.concat"],
       ],
     }
   } else {
     file { [
       $fragdir,
       "${fragdir}/fragments",
       "${fragdir}/fragments.concat",
       "${fragdir}/${concat_name}"
     ]:
       ensure => absent,
       force  => true,
       backup => false,
     }
 
     file { $path:
       ensure => absent,
       backup => $backup,
     }
 
     # lint:ignore:quoted_booleans
     $absent_exec_command = $::kernel ? {
       'windows' => 'cmd.exe /c exit 0',
     # lint:ignore:quoted_booleans
       default   => 'true',
     # lint:endignore
     }
     # lint:endignore
 
     $absent_exec_path = $::kernel ? {
       'windows' => $::path,
       default   => '/bin:/usr/bin',
     }
 
     # Need to have an unless here for idempotency.
     exec { "concat_${name}":
       alias   => "concat_${fragdir}",
       command => $absent_exec_command,
       unless  => $absent_exec_command,
       path    => $absent_exec_path,
       user    => undef,
       group   => undef,
     }
   }
 }
 
 # vim:sw=2:ts=2:expandtab:textwidth=79
diff --git a/spec/unit/defines/concat_spec.rb b/spec/unit/defines/concat_spec.rb
index fc110d9..896415a 100644
--- a/spec/unit/defines/concat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/defines/concat_spec.rb
@@ -1,432 +1,440 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'concat', :type => :define do
 
   shared_examples 'concat' do |title, params, id| 
     params = {} if params.nil?
     id = 'root' if id.nil?
 
     # default param values
     p = {
       :ensure           => 'present',
       :path             => title,
       :owner            => nil,
       :group            => nil,
       :mode             => '0644',
       :warn             => false,
       :force            => false,
       :backup           => 'puppet',
       :backup_fragments => false,
       :replace          => true,
       :order            => 'alpha',
       :ensure_newline   => false,
       :validate_cmd     => nil,
     }.merge(params)
 
     safe_name            = title.gsub('/', '_')
     concatdir            = '/var/lib/puppet/concat'
     fragdir              = "#{concatdir}/#{safe_name}"
     concat_name          = 'fragments.concat.out'
     default_warn_message = '# This file is managed by Puppet. DO NOT EDIT.'
 
     let(:title) { title }
     let(:params) { params }
     let(:facts) do
       {
         :concat_basedir => concatdir,
         :id             => id,
         :osfamily       => 'Debian',
         :path           => '/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin',
         :kernel         => 'Linux',
         :is_pe          => false,
       }
     end
 
     if p[:ensure] == 'present'
       it do
         should contain_file(fragdir).with({
           :ensure => 'directory',
           :mode   => '0750',
         })
       end
 
       it do
         should contain_file("#{fragdir}/fragments").with({
           :ensure  => 'directory',
           :mode    => '0750',
           :force   => true,
           :ignore  => ['.svn', '.git', '.gitignore'],
           :backup  => false,
           :purge   => true,
           :recurse => true,
         })
       end
 
       [
         "#{fragdir}/fragments.concat",
         "#{fragdir}/#{concat_name}",
       ].each do |file|
         it do
           should contain_file(file).with({
             :ensure => 'present',
             :mode   => '0640',
           })
         end
       end
 
       it do
         should contain_file(title).with({
           :ensure       => 'present',
           :owner        => p[:owner],
           :group        => p[:group],
           :mode         => p[:mode],
           :replace      => p[:replace],
           :path         => p[:path],
           :alias        => "concat_#{title}",
           :source       => "#{fragdir}/#{concat_name}",
           :validate_cmd => p[:validate_cmd],
           :backup       => p[:backup],
         })
       end
 
       cmd = "#{concatdir}/bin/concatfragments.rb " +
             "-o \"#{concatdir}/#{safe_name}/fragments.concat.out\" " +
             "-d \"#{concatdir}/#{safe_name}\""
 
       # flag order: fragdir, warnflag, forceflag, orderflag, newlineflag 
       if p.has_key?(:warn)
         case p[:warn]
         when TrueClass
           message = default_warn_message
         when 'true', 'yes', 'on'
           # should generate a stringified boolean warning
           message = default_warn_message
         when FalseClass
           message = nil
         when 'false', 'no', 'off'
           # should generate a stringified boolean warning
           message = nil
         else
           message = p[:warn]
         end
 
         unless message.nil?
           cmd += " -w \'#{message}\'"
         end
       end
 
       cmd += " -f" if p[:force]
       cmd += " -n" if p[:order] == 'numeric'
       cmd += " -l" if p[:ensure_newline] == true
 
       it do
         should contain_exec("concat_#{title}").with({
           :alias   => "concat_#{fragdir}",
           :command => cmd,
           :unless  => "#{cmd} -t",
         })
       end
     else
       [
         fragdir,
         "#{fragdir}/fragments",
         "#{fragdir}/fragments.concat",
         "#{fragdir}/#{concat_name}",
       ].each do |file|
         it do
           should contain_file(file).with({
             :ensure => 'absent',
             :force  => true,
           })
         end
       end
 
       it do
         should contain_file(title).with({
           :ensure => 'absent',
           :backup => p[:backup],
         })
       end
 
       it do
         should contain_exec("concat_#{title}").with({
           :alias   => "concat_#{fragdir}",
           :command => 'true',
           :unless  => 'true',
           :path    => '/bin:/usr/bin',
         })
       end
     end
   end
 
   context 'title' do
     context 'without path param' do
       # title/name is the default value for the path param. therefore, the
       # title must be an absolute path unless path is specified
       ['/foo', '/foo/bar', '/foo/bar/baz'].each do |title|
         context title do
           it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar'
         end
       end
 
       ['./foo', 'foo', 'foo/bar'].each do |title|
         context title do
           let(:title) { title }
           it 'should fail' do
             expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not an absolute path/)
           end
         end
       end
     end
 
     context 'with path param' do
       ['./foo', 'foo', 'foo/bar'].each do |title|
         context title do
           it_behaves_like 'concat', title, { :path => '/etc/foo.bar' }
         end
       end
     end
   end # title =>
 
   context 'as non-root user' do
     it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', {}, 'bob'
   end
 
   context 'ensure =>' do
     ['present', 'absent'].each do |ens|
       context ens do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :ensure => ens }
       end
     end
 
     context 'invalid' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :ensure => 'invalid' }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /#{Regexp.escape('does not match "^present$|^absent$"')}/)
       end
     end
   end # ensure =>
 
   context 'path =>' do
     context '/foo' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :path => '/foo' }
     end
 
     ['./foo', 'foo', 'foo/bar', false].each do |path|
       context path do
         let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
         let(:params) {{ :path => path }}
         it 'should fail' do
           expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not an absolute path/)
         end
       end
     end
   end # path =>
 
   context 'owner =>' do
     context 'apenney' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :owner => 'apenny' }
     end
 
+    context '1000' do
+      it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :owner => 1000 }
+    end
+
     context 'false' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :owner => false }}
       it 'should fail' do
-        expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a string/)
+        expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /\$owner must be a string or integer/)
       end
     end
   end # owner =>
 
   context 'group =>' do
     context 'apenney' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :group => 'apenny' }
     end
 
+    context '1000' do
+      it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :group => 1000 }
+    end
+
     context 'false' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :group => false }}
       it 'should fail' do
-        expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a string/)
+        expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /\$group must be a string or integer/)
       end
     end
   end # group =>
 
   context 'mode =>' do
     context '1755' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :mode => '1755' }
     end
 
     context 'false' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :mode => false }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a string/)
       end
     end
   end # mode =>
 
   context 'warn =>' do
     [true, false, '# foo'].each do |warn|
       context warn do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :warn => warn }
       end
     end
 
     context '(stringified boolean)' do
       ['true', 'yes', 'on', 'false', 'no', 'off'].each do |warn|
         context warn do
           it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :warn => warn }
 
           it 'should create a warning' do
             skip('rspec-puppet support for testing warning()')
           end
         end
       end
     end
 
     context '123' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :warn => 123 }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a string or boolean/)
       end
     end
   end # warn =>
 
   context 'force =>' do
     [true, false].each do |force|
       context force do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :force => force }
       end
     end
 
     context '123' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :force => 123 }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a boolean/)
       end
     end
   end # force =>
 
   context 'backup =>' do
     context 'reverse' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :backup => 'reverse' }
     end
 
     context 'false' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :backup => false }
     end
 
     context 'true' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :backup => true }
     end
 
     context 'true' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :backup => [] }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /backup must be string or bool/)
       end
     end
   end # backup =>
 
   context 'backup_fragments =>' do
     context 'true' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :backup_fragments => true }
     end
 
     context 'false' do
       it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :backup_fragments => false }
     end
 
     context 'invalid' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :backup_fragments => "invalid" }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a boolean/)
       end
     end
   end # backup_fragments =>
   context 'replace =>' do
     [true, false].each do |replace|
       context replace do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :replace => replace }
       end
     end
 
     context '123' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :replace => 123 }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a boolean/)
       end
     end
   end # replace =>
 
   context 'order =>' do
     ['alpha', 'numeric'].each do |order|
       context order do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :order => order }
       end
     end
 
     context 'invalid' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :order => 'invalid' }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /#{Regexp.escape('does not match "^alpha$|^numeric$"')}/)
       end
     end
   end # order =>
 
   context 'ensure_newline =>' do
     [true, false].each do |ensure_newline|
       context 'true' do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :ensure_newline => ensure_newline}
       end
     end
 
     context '123' do
       let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
       let(:params) {{ :ensure_newline => 123 }}
       it 'should fail' do
         expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /is not a boolean/)
       end
     end
   end # ensure_newline =>
 
   context 'validate_cmd =>' do
     if Puppet::Util::Package::versioncmp(Puppet::version, '3.5.0') > 0
       context '/usr/bin/test -e %' do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :validate_cmd => '/usr/bin/test -e %' }
       end
 
       [ 1234, true ].each do |cmd|
         context cmd do
           let(:title) { '/etc/foo.bar' }
           let(:params) {{ :validate_cmd => cmd }}
           it 'should fail' do
             expect { catalogue }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /\$validate_cmd must be a string/)
           end
         end
       end
     end
   end # validate_cmd =>
 
   describe 'deprecated parameter' do
     context 'gnu =>' do
       context 'foo' do
         it_behaves_like 'concat', '/etc/foo.bar', { :gnu => 'foo'}
 
         it 'should create a warning' do
           skip('rspec-puppet support for testing warning()')
         end
       end
     end
   end
 
 end
 
 # vim:sw=2:ts=2:expandtab:textwidth=79