diff --git a/php/ng/fpm/config.sls b/php/ng/fpm/config.sls
index 0129034..a62d364 100644
--- a/php/ng/fpm/config.sls
+++ b/php/ng/fpm/config.sls
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@
   {% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 
-
-{% if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
-  {% for version in salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') %}
+{% set pillar_php_ng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version', '7.0') %}
+{% if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
+  {% for version in pillar_php_ng_version %}
     {% set conf_settings = odict(php.lookup.fpm.defaults) %}
-    {% set first_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version')[0]|string %}
+    {% set first_version = pillar_php_ng_version[0]|string %}
     {% set ini = php.lookup.fpm.ini|replace(first_version, version) %}
     {% set conf = php.lookup.fpm.conf|replace(first_version, version) %}
     {% set pools = php.lookup.fpm.pools|replace(first_version, version) %}
diff --git a/php/ng/fpm/init.sls b/php/ng/fpm/init.sls
index b7f952b..e6b4e3a 100644
--- a/php/ng/fpm/init.sls
+++ b/php/ng/fpm/init.sls
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ include:
   - php.ng.fpm.service
   - php.ng.fpm.pools
 
+{% set pillar_php_ng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version', '7.0') %}
 extend:
   php_fpm_service:
     service:
       - watch:
-    {% if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
-      {% for version in salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') %}
+    {% if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
+      {% for version in pillar_php_ng_version %}
         - file: php_fpm_ini_config_{{ version }}
         - file: php_fpm_conf_config_{{ version }}
       {% endfor %}
@@ -20,8 +21,8 @@ extend:
     {% endif %}
       - require:
         - sls: php.ng.fpm.config
-  {% if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
-    {% for version in salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') %}
+  {% if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
+    {% for version in pillar_php_ng_version %}
   php_fpm_ini_config_{{ version }}:
     file:
       - require:
diff --git a/php/ng/fpm/pools_config.sls b/php/ng/fpm/pools_config.sls
index a65dfc8..6850ad6 100644
--- a/php/ng/fpm/pools_config.sls
+++ b/php/ng/fpm/pools_config.sls
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@
 {% endfor %}
 {% set state = 'php_fpm_pool_conf_' ~ loop.index0 %}
 
-{% if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
+{% set pillar_php_ng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version', '7.0') %}
+{% if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
   {% set first_fpath = path_join(config.get('filename', pool), php.lookup.fpm.pools) %}
-  {% set first_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version')[0]|string %}
+  {% set first_version = pillar_php_ng_version[0]|string %}
   {% set fpath = first_fpath.replace(first_version, config.get('phpversion', '7.0')) %}
 {% else %}
   {% set fpath = path_join(config.get('filename', pool), php.lookup.fpm.pools) %}
diff --git a/php/ng/installed.jinja b/php/ng/installed.jinja
index 808be89..a9f006c 100644
--- a/php/ng/installed.jinja
+++ b/php/ng/installed.jinja
@@ -10,15 +10,16 @@
 {% set pkgs = [] %}
 {% set specials = [] %}
 
+{% set pillar_php_ng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version', '7.0') %}
 {% if pkginfo is iterable and pkginfo is not string %}
     {% for pkg in pkginfo %}
         {% if pkg is mapping %}
             {% do specials.append(pkg) %}
         {% else %}
             {% do pkgs.append(pkg) %}
-            {% if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
-              {% set first_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version')[0]|string %}
-              {% for other_version in salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') %}
+            {% if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
+              {% set first_version = pillar_php_ng_version[0]|string %}
+              {% for other_version in pillar_php_ng_version %}
                 {% set other_version_str = other_version|string %}
                 {% do pkgs.append(pkg.replace(first_version, other_version_str)) %}
               {% endfor %}
@@ -27,9 +28,9 @@
     {% endfor %}
 {% else %}
     {% do pkgs.append(pkginfo) %}
-    {% if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
-      {% set first_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version')[0]|string %}
-      {% for other_version in salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') %}
+    {% if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
+      {% set first_version = pillar_php_ng_version[0]|string %}
+      {% for other_version in pillar_php_ng_version %}
         {% set other_version_str = other_version|string %}
         {% do pkgs.append(pkginfo.replace(first_version, other_version_str)) %}
       {% endfor %}
diff --git a/php/ng/map.jinja b/php/ng/map.jinja
index 36678b6..4d214ab 100644
--- a/php/ng/map.jinja
+++ b/php/ng/map.jinja
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # vim: ft=jinja
 
-{%- if salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version') is iterable %}
-    {%- set phpng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version')[0]|string %}
+{% set pillar_php_ng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version', '7.0') %}
+{%- if pillar_php_ng_version is iterable and pillar_php_ng_version is not string %}
+    {%- set phpng_version = pillar_php_ng_version[0]|string %}
 {% else %}
-    {%- set phpng_version = salt['pillar.get']('php:ng:version', '7.0')|string %}
+    {%- set phpng_version = pillar_php_ng_version|string %}
 {% endif %}
 {%- set freebsd_phpng_version = phpng_version.replace('.', '') %}