diff --git a/octodns/manager.py b/octodns/manager.py
index 07be01b..0665938 100644
--- a/octodns/manager.py
+++ b/octodns/manager.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, \
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from importlib import import_module
 from os import environ
+from six import text_type
 import logging
 
 from .provider.base import BaseProvider
@@ -228,7 +229,14 @@ class Manager(object):
         zone = Zone(zone_name,
                     sub_zones=self.configured_sub_zones(zone_name))
         for source in sources:
-            source.populate(zone, lenient=lenient)
+            try:
+                source.populate(zone, lenient=lenient)
+            except TypeError as e:
+                if "keyword argument 'lenient'" not in text_type(e):
+                    raise
+                self.log.warn(': provider %s does not accept lenient param',
+                              source.__class__.__name__)
+                source.populate(zone)
 
         self.log.debug('sync:   planning, zone=%s', zone_name)
         plans = []
diff --git a/tests/test_octodns_manager.py b/tests/test_octodns_manager.py
index 13eea95..581689a 100644
--- a/tests/test_octodns_manager.py
+++ b/tests/test_octodns_manager.py
@@ -278,6 +278,29 @@ class TestManager(TestCase):
                 .validate_configs()
         self.assertTrue('unknown source' in text_type(ctx.exception))
 
+    def test_populate_lenient_fallback(self):
+        with TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            environ['YAML_TMP_DIR'] = tmpdir.dirname
+            # Only allow a target that doesn't exist
+            manager = Manager(get_config_filename('simple.yaml'))
+
+            class NoLenient(SimpleProvider):
+
+                def populate(self, zone, source=False):
+                    pass
+
+            # This should be ok, we'll fall back to not passing it
+            manager._populate_and_plan('unit.tests.', [NoLenient()], [])
+
+            class NoZone(SimpleProvider):
+
+                def populate(self, lenient=False):
+                    pass
+
+            # This will blow up, we don't fallback for source
+            with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+                manager._populate_and_plan('unit.tests.', [NoZone()], [])
+
 
 class TestMainThreadExecutor(TestCase):