diff --git a/lib/facter/java_major_version.rb b/lib/facter/java_major_version.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0a0aae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/facter/java_major_version.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Fact: java_major_version
+#
+# Purpose: get Java's major version
+#
+# Resolution:
+#   Tests for presence of java, returns nil if not present
+#   returns output of "java -version" and splits on \n + '"'
+#   eg.
+#
+# Caveats:
+#   none
+#
+# Notes:
+#   None
+Facter.add(:java_major_version) do
+  setcode do
+    java_version = Facter.value(:java_version)
+    java_patch_level = java_version.strip.split('_')[0].split('.')[1] unless java_version.nil?
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/facter/java_patch_level.rb b/lib/facter/java_patch_level.rb
index 3ec97be..1d7921f 100644
--- a/lib/facter/java_patch_level.rb
+++ b/lib/facter/java_patch_level.rb
@@ -13,10 +13,6 @@
 Facter.add(:java_patch_level) do
   setcode do
     java_version = Facter.value(:java_version)
-    if java_version.nil?
-      "JAVA_NOT_INSTALLED"
-    else
-      java_patch_level = java_version.strip.split('_')[1]
-    end
+    java_patch_level = java_version.strip.split('_')[1] unless java_version.nil?
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/facter/java_version.rb b/lib/facter/java_version.rb
index 5216932..47d1a66 100644
--- a/lib/facter/java_version.rb
+++ b/lib/facter/java_version.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Fact: java_version
 #
-# Purpose: store java versions in the config DB
+# Purpose: get full java version string
 #
 # Resolution:
 #   Tests for presence of java, returns nil if not present
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@
 #
 # Notes:
 #   None
-Facter.add(:java_version) do
-  setcode do
-    java_version = Facter::Util::Resolution.exec("java -version 2>&1")
-    java_version = java_version.to_s.lines.first.strip.split(/version/)[1].gsub(/"/, "").strip
+if Facter::Util::Resolution.which('java')
+  Facter.add(:java_version) do
+    setcode do
+      Facter::Util::Resolution.exec('java -version 2>&1').lines.first.split(/"/)[1].strip
+    end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/unit/facter/java_major_version_spec.rb b/spec/unit/facter/java_major_version_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94d1328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/facter/java_major_version_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+require "spec_helper"
+
+describe Facter::Util::Fact do
+  before {
+    Facter.clear
+  }
+
+  describe "java_major_version" do
+    context 'returns major version when java_version fact present' do
+      before :each do
+        Facter.fact(:java_version).stubs(:value).returns('1.7.0_71')
+      end
+      it do
+        Facter.fact(:java_major_version).value.should == "7"
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'returns nil when java not present' do
+      before :each do
+        Facter.fact(:java_version).stubs(:value).returns(nil)
+      end
+      it do
+        Facter.fact(:java_major_version).value.should be_nil
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/unit/facter/java_patch_level_spec.rb b/spec/unit/facter/java_patch_level_spec.rb
index b9892c6..8371c45 100644
--- a/spec/unit/facter/java_patch_level_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/facter/java_patch_level_spec.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe Facter::Util::Fact do
           Facter.fact(:java_version).stubs(:value).returns(nil)
         end
         it do
-          Facter.fact(:java_patch_level).value.should == "JAVA_NOT_INSTALLED"
+          Facter.fact(:java_patch_level).value.should be_nil
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/unit/facter/java_version_spec.rb b/spec/unit/facter/java_version_spec.rb
index a0974ac..8e21b43 100644
--- a/spec/unit/facter/java_version_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/facter/java_version_spec.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ java version "1.7.0_71"
 Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_71-b14)
 Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.71-b01, mixed mode)
         EOS
+        Facter::Util::Resolution.expects(:which).with("java").returns(true)
         Facter::Util::Resolution.expects(:exec).with("java -version 2>&1").returns(java_version_output)
         Facter.fact(:java_version).value.should == "1.7.0_71"
       end
@@ -20,9 +21,8 @@ Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.71-b01, mixed mode)
 
     context 'returns nil when java not present' do
       it do
-        java_version_output = "bash: java: command not found"
-        Facter::Util::Resolution.expects(:exec).with("java -version 2>&1").returns(java_version_output)
-        Facter.fact(:java_version).value.should be_nil
+        Facter::Util::Resolution.expects(:which).with("java").returns(false)
+        Facter.fact(:java_version).should be_nil
       end
     end
   end