diff --git a/attributes/default.rb b/attributes/default.rb
index 0ce1d62..0e1f5e6 100644
--- a/attributes/default.rb
+++ b/attributes/default.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ default['postfix']['use_procmail'] = false
 default['postfix']['aliases'] = {}
 default['postfix']['transports'] = {}
 default['postfix']['access'] = {}
+default['postfix']['virtual_aliases'] = {}
 default['postfix']['main_template_source'] = 'postfix'
 default['postfix']['master_template_source'] = 'postfix'
 default['postfix']['sender_canonical_map_entries'] = {}
@@ -33,21 +34,21 @@ when 'smartos'
   default['postfix']['conf_dir'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix'
   default['postfix']['aliases_db'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix/aliases'
   default['postfix']['transport_db'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix/transport'
+  default['postfix']['access_db'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix/access'
+  default['postfix']['virtual_alias_db'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix/virtual'
 when 'omnios'
   default['postfix']['conf_dir'] = '/opt/omni/etc/postfix'
   default['postfix']['aliases_db'] = 'opt/omni/etc/postfix/aliases'
   default['postfix']['transport_db'] = '/opt/omni/etc/postfix/transport'
-  default['postfix']['access_db'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix/aliases'
-when 'omnios'
-  default['postfix']['conf_dir'] = '/opt/omni/etc/postfix'
-  default['postfix']['aliases_db'] = 'opt/omni/etc/postfix/aliases'
-  default['postfix']['access_db'] = 'opt/omni/etc/postfix/aliases'
+  default['postfix']['access_db'] = '/opt/omni/etc/postfix/access'
+  default['postfix']['virtual_alias_db'] = '/etc/omni/etc/postfix/virtual'
   default['postfix']['uid'] = 11
 else
   default['postfix']['conf_dir'] = '/etc/postfix'
   default['postfix']['aliases_db'] = '/etc/aliases'
   default['postfix']['transport_db'] = '/etc/postfix/transport'
   default['postfix']['access_db'] = '/etc/postfix/access'
+  default['postfix']['virtual_alias_db'] = '/etc/postfix/virtual'
 end
 
 # Non-default main.cf attributes
@@ -59,11 +60,12 @@ default['postfix']['main']['myorigin'] = '$myhostname'
 default['postfix']['main']['mydestination'] = [node['postfix']['main']['myhostname'], node['hostname'], 'localhost.localdomain', 'localhost'].compact
 default['postfix']['main']['smtpd_use_tls'] = 'yes'
 default['postfix']['main']['smtp_use_tls'] = 'yes'
-default['postfix']['main']['alias_maps'] = ["hash:#{node['postfix']['aliases_db']}"]
-default['postfix']['main']['transport_maps'] = [ "hash:#{node['postfix']['transport_db']}" ]
-default['postfix']['main']['access_maps'] = ["hash:#{node['postfix']['access_db']}"]
-default['postfix']['main']['mailbox_size_limit'] = 0
 default['postfix']['main']['smtp_sasl_auth_enable'] = 'no'
+default['postfix']['main']['use_alias_maps'] = 'no'
+default['postfix']['main']['use_transport_maps'] = 'no'
+default['postfix']['main']['use_access_maps'] = 'no'
+default['postfix']['main']['use_virtual_aliases'] = 'no'
+default['postfix']['main']['mailbox_size_limit'] = 0
 default['postfix']['main']['mynetworks'] = nil
 default['postfix']['main']['inet_interfaces'] = 'loopback-only'
 
@@ -104,16 +106,20 @@ if node['postfix']['main']['smtp_sasl_auth_enable'] == 'yes'
   default['postfix']['main']['relayhost'] = ''
 end
 
-if node['postfix']['use_virtual_aliases'] == 'yes'
-  default['postfix']['main']['virtual_alias_domains'] = []
-  case node['platform']
-  when 'smartos'
-    default['postfix']['virtual_alias_db'] = '/opt/local/etc/postfix/virtual'
-  else
-    default['postfix']['virtual_alias_db'] = '/etc/postfix/virtual'
-  end
-  default['postfix']['main']['virtual_alias_maps'] = "hash:#{node['postfix']['virtual_alias_db']}"
-  default['postfix']['virtual_aliases'] = {}
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_alias_maps'] == 'yes'
+   default['postfix']['main']['alias_maps'] = ["hash:#{node['postfix']['aliases_db']}"]
+end
+
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_transport_maps'] == 'yes'
+   default['postfix']['main']['transport_maps'] = ["hash:#{node['postfix']['transport_db']}"]
+end
+
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_access_maps'] == 'yes'
+   default['postfix']['main']['access_maps'] = ["hash:#{node['postfix']['access_db']}"]
+end
+
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_virtual_aliases'] == 'yes'
+  default['postfix']['main']['virtual_alias_maps'] = ["hash:#{node['postfix']['virtual_alias_db']}"]
 end
 
 # # Default main.cf attributes according to `postconf -d`
diff --git a/metadata.rb b/metadata.rb
index 78050af..1325e12 100644
--- a/metadata.rb
+++ b/metadata.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ recipe 'postfix::sasl_auth', 'Set up postfix to auth to a server with sasl'
 recipe 'postfix::aliases', 'Manages /etc/aliases'
 recipe 'postfix::transports', 'Manages /etc/postfix/transport'
 recipe 'postfix::access', 'Manages /etc/postfix/access'
+recipe 'postfix::virtual_aliases', 'Manages /etc/postfix/virtual'
 recipe 'postfix::client', 'Searches for the relayhost based on an attribute'
 recipe 'postfix::server', 'Sets the mail_type attribute to master'
 
diff --git a/recipes/_common.rb b/recipes/_common.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..102d480
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes/_common.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+# Author:: Joshua Timberman(<joshua@getchef.com>)
+# Cookbook Name:: common
+# Recipe:: default
+#
+# Copyright 2009-2014, Chef Software, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+
+package 'postfix'
+
+package 'procmail' if node['postfix']['use_procmail']
+
+case node['platform_family']
+when 'rhel', 'fedora'
+  service 'sendmail' do
+    action :nothing
+  end
+
+  execute 'switch_mailer_to_postfix' do
+    command '/usr/sbin/alternatives --set mta /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix'
+    notifies :stop, 'service[sendmail]'
+    notifies :start, 'service[postfix]'
+    not_if '/usr/bin/test /etc/alternatives/mta -ef /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix'
+  end
+when 'omnios'
+  manifest_path = ::File.join(Chef::Config[:file_cache_path], 'manifest-postfix.xml')
+
+  # we need to manage the postfix group and user
+  # and then subscribe to the package install because it creates a
+  # postdrop group and adds postfix user to it.
+  group 'postfix' do
+    append true
+  end
+
+  user 'postfix' do
+    uid node['postfix']['uid']
+    gid 'postfix'
+    home '/var/spool/postfix'
+    subscribes :manage, 'package[postfix]'
+    notifies :run, 'execute[/opt/omni/sbin/postfix set-permissions]', :immediately
+  end
+
+  # we don't guard this because if the user creation was successful (or happened out of band), then this won't get executed when the action is :nothing.
+  execute '/opt/omni/sbin/postfix set-permissions'
+
+  template manifest_path  do
+    source 'manifest-postfix.xml.erb'
+    owner 'root'
+    group 'root'
+    mode '0644'
+    notifies :run, 'execute[load postfix manifest]', :immediately
+  end
+
+  execute 'load postfix manifest' do
+    action :nothing
+    command "svccfg import #{manifest_path}"
+    notifies :restart, 'service[postfix]'
+  end
+end
+
+execute 'update-postfix-sender_canonical' do
+  command "postmap #{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/sender_canonical"
+  action :nothing
+end
+
+unless node['postfix']['sender_canonical_map_entries'].empty?
+  template "#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/sender_canonical" do
+    owner 'root'
+    group 0
+    mode '0644'
+    notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-sender_canonical]'
+    notifies :reload, 'service[postfix]'
+  end
+
+  unless node['postfix']['main'].key?('sender_canonical_maps')
+    node.set['postfix']['main']['sender_canonical_maps'] = "hash:#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/sender_canonical"
+  end
+end
+
+execute 'update-postfix-smtp_generic' do
+  command "postmap #{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/smtp_generic"
+  action :nothing
+end
+
+unless node['postfix']['smtp_generic_map_entries'].empty?
+  template "#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/smtp_generic" do
+    owner 'root'
+    group 0
+    mode  '0644'
+    notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-smtp_generic]'
+    notifies :reload, 'service[postfix]'
+  end
+
+  unless node['postfix']['main'].key?('smtp_generic_maps')
+    node.set['postfix']['main']['smtp_generic_maps'] = "hash:#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/smtp_generic"
+  end
+end
+
+%w{main master}.each do |cfg|
+  template "#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/#{cfg}.cf" do
+    source "#{cfg}.cf.erb"
+    owner 'root'
+    group 0
+    mode '0644'
+    notifies :restart, 'service[postfix]'
+    variables(settings: node['postfix'][cfg])
+    cookbook node['postfix']["#{cfg}_template_source"]
+  end
+end
+
+service 'postfix' do
+  supports status: true, restart: true, reload: true
+  action :enable
+end
diff --git a/recipes/access.rb b/recipes/access.rb
index e95a46e..eb75bb6 100644
--- a/recipes/access.rb
+++ b/recipes/access.rb
@@ -14,15 +14,15 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-include_recipe "postfix"
+include_recipe 'postfix::_common'
 
-execute "update-postfix-access" do
+execute 'update-postfix-access' do
   command "postmap #{node['postfix']['access_db']}"
   environment PATH: "#{ENV['PATH']}:/opt/omni/bin:/opt/omni/sbin" if platform_family?('omnios')
   action :nothing
 end
 
-template "/etc/postfix/access" do
-  source "access.erb"
-  notifies :run, "execute[update-postfix-access]"
+template node['postfix']['access_db'] do
+  source 'access.erb'
+  notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-access]'
 end
diff --git a/recipes/aliases.rb b/recipes/aliases.rb
index 3ba0527..0153ba5 100644
--- a/recipes/aliases.rb
+++ b/recipes/aliases.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-include_recipe 'postfix'
+include_recipe 'postfix::_common'
 
 execute 'update-postfix-aliases' do
   command 'newaliases'
diff --git a/recipes/default.rb b/recipes/default.rb
index 227f9cd..f09ed95 100644
--- a/recipes/default.rb
+++ b/recipes/default.rb
@@ -18,109 +18,24 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-package 'postfix'
+include_recipe 'postfix::_common'
 
-package 'procmail' if node['postfix']['use_procmail']
-
-case node['platform_family']
-when 'rhel', 'fedora'
-  service 'sendmail' do
-    action :nothing
-  end
-
-  execute 'switch_mailer_to_postfix' do
-    command '/usr/sbin/alternatives --set mta /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix'
-    notifies :stop, 'service[sendmail]'
-    notifies :start, 'service[postfix]'
-    not_if '/usr/bin/test /etc/alternatives/mta -ef /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix'
-  end
-when 'omnios'
-  manifest_path = ::File.join(Chef::Config[:file_cache_path], 'manifest-postfix.xml')
-
-  # we need to manage the postfix group and user
-  # and then subscribe to the package install because it creates a
-  # postdrop group and adds postfix user to it.
-  group 'postfix' do
-    append true
-  end
-
-  user 'postfix' do
-    uid node['postfix']['uid']
-    gid 'postfix'
-    home '/var/spool/postfix'
-    subscribes :manage, 'package[postfix]'
-    notifies :run, 'execute[/opt/omni/sbin/postfix set-permissions]', :immediately
-  end
-
-  # we don't guard this because if the user creation was successful (or happened out of band), then this won't get executed when the action is :nothing.
-  execute '/opt/omni/sbin/postfix set-permissions'
-
-  template manifest_path  do
-    source 'manifest-postfix.xml.erb'
-    owner 'root'
-    group 'root'
-    mode '0644'
-    notifies :run, 'execute[load postfix manifest]', :immediately
-  end
-
-  execute 'load postfix manifest' do
-    action :nothing
-    command "svccfg import #{manifest_path}"
-    notifies :restart, 'service[postfix]'
-  end
+if node['postfix']['main']['smtp_sasl_auth_enable'] == 'yes'
+  include_recipe 'postfix::sasl_auth'
 end
 
-execute 'update-postfix-sender_canonical' do
-  command "postmap #{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/sender_canonical"
-  action :nothing
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_alias_maps'] == 'yes'
+  include_recipe 'postfix::aliases'
 end
 
-unless node['postfix']['sender_canonical_map_entries'].empty?
-  template "#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/sender_canonical" do
-    owner 'root'
-    group 0
-    mode '0644'
-    notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-sender_canonical]'
-    notifies :reload, 'service[postfix]'
-  end
-
-  unless node['postfix']['main'].key?('sender_canonical_maps')
-    node.set['postfix']['main']['sender_canonical_maps'] = "hash:#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/sender_canonical"
-  end
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_transport_maps'] == 'yes'
+  include_recipe 'postfix::transports'
 end
 
-execute 'update-postfix-smtp_generic' do
-  command "postmap #{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/smtp_generic"
-  action :nothing
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_access_maps'] == 'yes'
+  include_recipe 'postfix::access'
 end
 
-if !node['postfix']['smtp_generic_map_entries'].empty?
-  template "#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/smtp_generic" do
-    owner 'root'
-    group 0
-    mode  '0644'
-    notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-smtp_generic]'
-    notifies :reload, 'service[postfix]'
-  end
-
-  if !node['postfix']['main'].key?('smtp_generic_maps')
-    node.set['postfix']['main']['smtp_generic_maps'] = "hash:#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/smtp_generic"
-  end
-end
-
-%w{main master}.each do |cfg|
-  template "#{node['postfix']['conf_dir']}/#{cfg}.cf" do
-    source "#{cfg}.cf.erb"
-    owner 'root'
-    group 0
-    mode '0644'
-    notifies :restart, 'service[postfix]'
-    variables(settings: node['postfix'][cfg])
-    cookbook node['postfix']["#{cfg}_template_source"]
-  end
-end
-
-service 'postfix' do
-  supports status: true, restart: true, reload: true
-  action [:enable, :start]
+if node['postfix']['main']['use_virtual_aliases'] == 'yes'
+  include_recipe 'postfix::virtual_aliases'
 end
diff --git a/recipes/sasl_auth.rb b/recipes/sasl_auth.rb
index 297a298..885d187 100644
--- a/recipes/sasl_auth.rb
+++ b/recipes/sasl_auth.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-include_recipe 'postfix'
+include_recipe 'postfix::_common'
 
 sasl_pkgs = []
 
diff --git a/recipes/transports.rb b/recipes/transports.rb
index 2e9a8c2..709d0d4 100644
--- a/recipes/transports.rb
+++ b/recipes/transports.rb
@@ -14,15 +14,15 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-include_recipe "postfix"
+include_recipe 'postfix::_common'
 
-execute "update-postfix-transport" do
+execute 'update-postfix-transport' do
   command "postmap #{node['postfix']['transport_db']}"
   environment PATH: "#{ENV['PATH']}:/opt/omni/bin:/opt/omni/sbin" if platform_family?('omnios')
   action :nothing
 end
 
 template node['postfix']['transport_db'] do
-  source "transport.erb"
-  notifies :run, "execute[update-postfix-transport]"
+  source 'transport.erb'
+  notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-transport]'
 end
diff --git a/recipes/virtual_aliases.rb b/recipes/virtual_aliases.rb
index 59f5b75..6997a30 100644
--- a/recipes/virtual_aliases.rb
+++ b/recipes/virtual_aliases.rb
@@ -14,18 +14,15 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-include_recipe 'postfix'
+include_recipe 'postfix::_common'
 
-execute 'postmap-virtual-alias' do
-  command "postmap #{node['postfix']['main']['virtual_alias_maps']}"
+execute 'update-postfix-virtual-alias' do
+  command "postmap #{node['postfix']['virtual_alias_db']}"
+  environment PATH: "#{ENV['PATH']}:/opt/omni/bin:/opt/omni/sbin" if platform_family?('omnios')
   action :nothing
 end
 
 template node['postfix']['virtual_alias_db'] do
   source 'virtual_aliases.erb'
-  owner 'root'
-  group 'root'
-  mode 0400
-  notifies :run, 'execute[postmap-virtual-alias]', :immediately
-  notifies :restart, 'service[postfix]'
+  notifies :run, 'execute[update-postfix-virtual-alias]'
 end
diff --git a/templates/default/transports.erb b/templates/default/transport.erb
similarity index 100%
rename from templates/default/transports.erb
rename to templates/default/transport.erb
diff --git a/templates/default/virtual_aliases.erb b/templates/default/virtual_aliases.erb
index 0d6a8e4..fc7e9e1 100644
--- a/templates/default/virtual_aliases.erb
+++ b/templates/default/virtual_aliases.erb
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 
 <% node['postfix']['virtual_aliases'].each do |key, value| %>
 <%= key %> <%= value %>
-<% end %>
+<% end unless node['postfix']['virtual_aliases'].nil? %>