diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dfa8814..95360ca 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -106,6 +106,30 @@ None.
         password: similarly-secure-password
         priv: "example_db.*:ALL"
 
+
+## Mariadb usage
+
+For CentOS 7:
+
+    mysql_packages:
+      - mariadb
+      - mariadb-server
+      - mariadb-libs
+      - MySQL-python
+      - perl-DBD-MySQL
+    mysql_daemon: mariadb
+    mysql_socket: /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
+    mysql_log_error: /var/log/mariadb/mariadb.log
+    mysql_syslog_tag: mariadb
+    mysql_pid_file: /var/run/mariadb/mariadb.pid
+
+For Ubuntu 14.04:
+  
+    mysql_packages:
+      - mariadb-client
+      - mariadb-server
+      - python-mysqldb
+
 ## License
 
 MIT / BSD
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index cf31060..c966bcb 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ mysql_enablerepo: ""
 mysql_port: "3306"
 mysql_bind_address: '0.0.0.0'
 mysql_datadir: /var/lib/mysql
+mysql_pid_file: /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
 
 # Slow query log settings.
 mysql_slow_query_log_enabled: no
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 271393a..d8ad3a8 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
     mysql_packages: "{{ __mysql_packages | list }}"
   when: mysql_packages is not defined
 
+- name: Define mysql_daemon.
+  set_fact:
+    mysql_daemon: "{{ __mysql_daemon }} "
+  when: mysql_daemon is not defined
+
 # Setup/install tasks.
 - include: setup-RedHat.yml
   when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat'
diff --git a/templates/my.cnf.j2 b/templates/my.cnf.j2
index 476e6e5..12c1564 100644
--- a/templates/my.cnf.j2
+++ b/templates/my.cnf.j2
@@ -94,4 +94,4 @@ quick
 max_allowed_packet = {{ mysql_mysqldump_max_allowed_packet }}
 
 [mysqld_safe]
-pid-file = /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
+pid-file = {{ mysql_pid_file }}
diff --git a/vars/Debian.yml b/vars/Debian.yml
index 0a04ce0..4b4eddc 100644
--- a/vars/Debian.yml
+++ b/vars/Debian.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-mysql_daemon: mysql
+__mysql_daemon: mysql
 mysql_config_file: /etc/mysql/my.cnf
 __mysql_packages:
   - mysql-common
diff --git a/vars/RedHat.yml b/vars/RedHat.yml
index 055839c..e6a346e 100644
--- a/vars/RedHat.yml
+++ b/vars/RedHat.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-mysql_daemon: mysqld
+__mysql_daemon: mysqld
 mysql_config_file: /etc/my.cnf
 __mysql_packages:
   - mysql