diff --git a/site/profile/manifests/base.pp b/site/profile/manifests/base.pp
deleted file mode 100644
index ae85e65..0000000
--- a/site/profile/manifests/base.pp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-class profile::base {
-
-  #the base profile should include component modules that will be on all nodes
-
-}
diff --git a/site/profile/manifests/base/linux.pp b/site/profile/manifests/base/linux.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..889c07b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site/profile/manifests/base/linux.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# A 'base' profile should include component modules that will be on all nodes
+# of a particular operating system.
+
+class profile::base::linux {
+
+}
diff --git a/site/profile/manifests/base/windows.pp b/site/profile/manifests/base/windows.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51ee03f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site/profile/manifests/base/windows.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# A 'base' profile should include component modules that will be on all nodes
+# of a particular operating system.
+
+class profile::base::windows {
+
+}