diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aecd25f..a79ea38 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,11 +8,25 @@ Requirements
 
 Needs to be used on a system that utilizes /etc/motd.tail, e.g. Ubuntu.
 
+Attributes
+==========
+
+* `node['motd-tail']['additional_text']` - Additional text to add to the end
+  of the motd.tail (e.g. unauthorized access banner).
+
 Usage
 =====
 
-When the node runs, the recipe will add the list of roles to
-`/etc/motd.tail` so you can tell at a glance on login what the system is.
+```json
+"run_list": [
+    "recipe[motd-tail]"
+]
+```
+
+default
+----
+
+Updates motd.tail with useful node data
 
 Examples
 --------
@@ -29,16 +43,18 @@ For example,
     rsyslog_server
     ***
 
+    Additional text here when `node['motd-tail']['additional_text']` present.
+
 Testing
 =====
 
 This cookbook is using [ChefSpec](https://github.com/acrmp/chefspec) for testing.
 
-    $ cd $repo
-    $ bundle
-    $ librarian-chef install
-    $ ln -s ../ cookbooks/motd-tail
-    $ rspec cookbooks/motd-tail
+    % cd $repo
+    % bundle
+    % librarian-chef install
+    % ln -s ../ cookbooks/motd-tail
+    % rspec cookbooks/motd-tail
 
 License and Author
 ==================
diff --git a/attributes/default.rb b/attributes/default.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3dec01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/attributes/default.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#
+# Author:: John Dewey (<john@dewey.ws>)
+# Cookbook Name:: motd
+# Recipe:: default
+#
+# Copyright 2012, John Dewey
+#
+# 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.
+#
+
+default['motd-tail']['additional_text'] = nil
diff --git a/recipes/default.rb b/recipes/default.rb
index f3e6110..a4a1427 100644
--- a/recipes/default.rb
+++ b/recipes/default.rb
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 
 template "/etc/motd.tail" do
   source "motd.tail.erb"
-  group "root"
-  owner "root"
-  mode "0644"
+  group  "root"
+  owner  "root"
+  mode   00644
   backup 0
 end
diff --git a/spec/default_spec.rb b/spec/default_spec.rb
index b435d20..041109c 100644
--- a/spec/default_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/default_spec.rb
@@ -75,4 +75,13 @@
     chef_run.should create_file_with_content @file,
       "tag2"
   end
+
+  it "has additional text" do
+    chef_run = ChefSpec::ChefRunner.new do |n|
+      n.set['motd-tail'] = {}
+      n.set['motd-tail']['additional_text'] = "this is some additional text"
+    end.converge "motd-tail::default"
+    chef_run.should create_file_with_content @file,
+      "this is some additional text"
+  end
 end
diff --git a/templates/default/motd.tail.erb b/templates/default/motd.tail.erb
index 8a7a068..8a74eaa 100644
--- a/templates/default/motd.tail.erb
+++ b/templates/default/motd.tail.erb
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@ Tags:
 <% end -%>
 <% end -%>
 ***
+
+<%= node['motd-tail']['additional_text'] %>