diff --git a/moduleroot/Gemfile.erb b/moduleroot/Gemfile.erb
index 65b3937a20f20f82bdcd30a7f13363c3ca27efe1..0940cfd239424b1160383fb85ae9ab7d4c276c7e 100644
--- a/moduleroot/Gemfile.erb
+++ b/moduleroot/Gemfile.erb
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ group <%= group %> do
 end
 <% end -%>
 
-puppet_version = ENV['PUPPET_GEM_VERSION']
+puppet_version = ENV['PUPPET_GEM_VERSION'] || '< 5.3.4'
 puppet_type = gem_type(puppet_version)
 facter_version = ENV['FACTER_GEM_VERSION']
 hiera_version = ENV['HIERA_GEM_VERSION']