diff --git a/etc/icinga2/conf.d/Makefile.am b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/Makefile.am
index 0053df17a..dcb9a3d42 100644
--- a/etc/icinga2/conf.d/Makefile.am
+++ b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/Makefile.am
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 icinga2confdir = $(DESTDIR)${sysconfdir}/icinga2/conf.d
 
 CONFIG_FILES = \
+	generic-host.conf \
+	generic-service.conf \
 	localhost.conf \
 	macros.conf
 
diff --git a/etc/icinga2/conf.d/generic-host.conf b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/generic-host.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9d3825b68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/generic-host.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/**
+ * Provides default settings for hosts. By convention
+ * all hosts should inherit from this template.
+ *
+template Host "generic-host" {
+
+}
diff --git a/etc/icinga2/conf.d/generic-service.conf b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/generic-service.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83c4d3bcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/generic-service.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/**
+ * Provides default settings for services. By convention
+ * all services should inherit from this template.
+ *
+template Service "generic-service" {
+
+}