diff --git a/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/fetch_remotes.py b/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/fetch_remotes.py
index 776188e765..4dda133f3d 100755
--- a/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/fetch_remotes.py
+++ b/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/fetch_remotes.py
@@ -13,18 +13,19 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
-# Ensure that the specified remote exists in the repo and pull revisions
-# from upstream
+# Fetch remotes reads a project config file called projects.yaml
+# It should look like:
+
+# - project: PROJECT_NAME
+#   options:
+#   - remote: https://gerrit.googlesource.com/gerrit
 
-# [project "UPSTREAM_PROJECT"]
-# remote = https://gerrit.googlesource.com/gerrit
 
-import ConfigParser
 import logging
 import os
-import re
 import subprocess
 import shlex
+import yaml
 
 def run_command(cmd, status=False, env={}):
     cmd_list = shlex.split(str(cmd))
@@ -46,29 +47,22 @@ logging.basicConfig(level=logging.ERROR)
 
 REPO_ROOT = os.environ.get('REPO_ROOT',
                            '/home/gerrit2/review_site/git')
-REMOTES_CONFIG = os.environ.get('REMOTES_CONFIG',
-                               '/home/gerrit2/remotes.config')
+PROJECTS_YAML = os.environ.get('PROJECTS_YAML',
+                               '/home/gerrit2/projects.yaml')
 
-PROJECT_RE = re.compile(r'^project\s+"(.*)"$')
+config = yaml.load(open(PROJECTS_YAML))
 
-config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
-config.read(REMOTES_CONFIG)
+for section in config:
+    project = section['project']
 
-
-for section in config.sections():
-    # Each section looks like [project "openstack/project"]
-    m = PROJECT_RE.match(section)
-    if not m:
+    if 'remote' not in section:
         continue
-    project = m.group(1)
+
     project_git = "%s.git" % project
     os.chdir(os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, project_git))
 
-    if not (config.has_option(section, "remote")):
-        continue
-
     # Make sure that the specified remote exists
-    remote_url = config.get(section, "remote")
+    remote_url = section['remote']
     # We could check if it exists first, but we're ignoring output anyway
     # So just try to make it, and it'll either make a new one or do nothing
     run_command("git remote add -f upstream %s" % remote_url)
diff --git a/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/make_local_repos.py b/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/make_local_repos.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..f598446168
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/gerrit/files/scripts/make_local_repos.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env python
+# Copyright (C) 2011 OpenStack, LLC.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+# Make local repos reads a project config file called projects.yaml
+# It should look like:
+
+# - project: PROJECT_NAME
+#   options:
+#   - close-pull
+#   remote: https://gerrit.googlesource.com/gerrit
+
+# TODO: add support for
+#         ssh -p 29418 localhost gerrit -name create-project PROJECT
+
+import logging
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import shlex
+import yaml
+
+def run_command(cmd, status=False, env={}):
+    cmd_list = shlex.split(str(cmd))
+    newenv = os.environ
+    newenv.update(env)
+    p = subprocess.Popen(cmd_list, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                         stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, env=newenv)
+    (out, nothing) = p.communicate()
+    if status:
+        return (p.returncode, out.strip())
+    return out.strip()
+
+
+def run_command_status(cmd, env={}):
+    return run_command(cmd, True, env)
+
+
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.ERROR)
+
+REPO_ROOT = sys.argv[1]
+PROJECTS_YAML = os.environ.get('PROJECTS_YAML',
+                               '/home/gerrit2/projects.yaml')
+
+config = yaml.load(open(PROJECTS_YAML))
+
+for section in config:
+    project = section['project']
+
+    project_git = "%s.git" % project
+    project_dir = os.path.join(REPO_ROOT, project_git)
+
+    if os.path.exists(project_dir):
+        continue
+
+    run_command("git --bare init --shared=group %s" % project_dir)
diff --git a/modules/gerrit/manifests/init.pp b/modules/gerrit/manifests/init.pp
index 122a5f8401..d93b42c39d 100644
--- a/modules/gerrit/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/modules/gerrit/manifests/init.pp
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class gerrit($virtual_hostname=$fqdn,
       $httpd_maxwait='',
       $commentlinks = [],
       $war,
+      $projects_file = 'UNDEF',
       $enable_melody = 'false',
       $melody_session = 'false',
       $mysql_password,
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ class gerrit($virtual_hostname=$fqdn,
       $email_private_key,
       $replicate_github=false,
       $replicate_local=true,
+      $local_git_dir='/var/lib/git',
       $replication_targets=[],
       $testmode=false
       ) {
@@ -165,6 +167,27 @@ class gerrit($virtual_hostname=$fqdn,
     }
   }
 
+  if ($projects_file != 'UNDEF') {
+
+      file { '/home/gerrit2/projects.yaml':
+        owner => 'gerrit2',
+        group => 'gerrit2',
+        mode => 444,
+        ensure => 'present',
+        source => $projects_file,
+        replace => true,
+      }
+
+      exec { "make_local_repos":
+        user => 'gerrit2',
+        command => "/usr/local/gerrit/scripts/make_local_repos.py $local_git_dir",
+        subscribe => File["/home/gerrit2/projects.yaml"],
+        refreshonly => true,
+        require => File["/home/gerrit2/projects.yaml"]
+      }
+
+  }
+
   # Gerrit sets these permissions in 'init'; don't fight them.
   file { '/home/gerrit2/review_site/etc/gerrit.config':
     owner => 'gerrit2',
diff --git a/modules/gerrit/manifests/remotes.pp b/modules/gerrit/manifests/remotes.pp
index da27242b10..88a12cefdc 100644
--- a/modules/gerrit/manifests/remotes.pp
+++ b/modules/gerrit/manifests/remotes.pp
@@ -1,18 +1,13 @@
-class gerrit::remotes($upstream_projects) {
+class gerrit::remotes($ensure=present) {
     cron { "gerritfetchremotes":
       user => gerrit2,
+      ensure => $ensure,
       minute => "*/30",
       command => 'sleep $((RANDOM\%60+90)) && python /usr/local/gerrit/scripts/fetch_remotes.py',
       require => File['/usr/local/gerrit/scripts'],
     }
 
     file { '/home/gerrit2/remotes.config':
-      owner => 'root',
-      group => 'root',
-      mode => 444,
-      ensure => 'present',
-      content => template('gerrit/remotes.config.erb'),
-      replace => 'true',
-      require => User["gerrit2"]
+      ensure => absent
     }
 }
diff --git a/modules/gerrit/templates/remotes.config.erb b/modules/gerrit/templates/remotes.config.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b9502f213..0000000000
--- a/modules/gerrit/templates/remotes.config.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-# This file is managed by puppet.
-# https://github.com/openstack/openstack-ci-puppet
-
-<% upstream_projects.each do |project| -%>
-[project "<%= project['name'] %>"]
-remote = <%= project['remote'] %>
-<% end -%>
diff --git a/modules/github/files/scripts/close_pull_requests.py b/modules/github/files/scripts/close_pull_requests.py
index 202d2eb7a7..13f9e8994f 100755
--- a/modules/github/files/scripts/close_pull_requests.py
+++ b/modules/github/files/scripts/close_pull_requests.py
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
-# Close Github pull requests with instructions to use Gerrit for
-# code review.  The list of projects is found in github.config
-# and should look like:
+# Github pull requests closer reads a project config file called projects.yaml
+# It should look like:
 
-# [project "GITHUB_PROJECT"]
-# close_pull = true
+# - project: PROJECT_NAME
+#   options:
+#   - close-pull
 
 # Github authentication information is read from github.secure.config,
 # which should look like:
@@ -32,16 +32,16 @@
 # [github]
 # oauth_token = GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN
 
+import ConfigParser
 import github
 import os
-import ConfigParser
+import yaml
 import logging
-import re
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.ERROR)
 
-GITHUB_CONFIG = os.environ.get('GITHUB_CONFIG',
-                               '/home/gerrit2/github.config')
+PROJECTS_YAML = os.environ.get('PROJECTS_YAML',
+                               '/home/gerrit2/projects.yaml')
 GITHUB_SECURE_CONFIG = os.environ.get('GITHUB_SECURE_CONFIG',
                                       '/home/gerrit2/github.secure.config')
 
@@ -52,12 +52,9 @@ MESSAGE = """Thank you for contributing to OpenStack!
 Please visit http://wiki.openstack.org/GerritWorkflow and follow the instructions there to upload your change to Gerrit.
 """
 
-PROJECT_RE = re.compile(r'^project\s+"(.*)"$')
-
 secure_config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
 secure_config.read(GITHUB_SECURE_CONFIG)
-config = ConfigParser.ConfigParser()
-config.read(GITHUB_CONFIG)
+config = yaml.load(open(PROJECTS_YAML))
 
 if secure_config.has_option("github", "oauth_token"):
     ghub = github.Github(secure_config.get("github", "oauth_token"))
@@ -67,15 +64,11 @@ else:
 
 orgs = ghub.get_user().get_orgs()
 orgs_dict = dict(zip([o.login.lower() for o in orgs], orgs))
-for section in config.sections():
-    # Each section looks like [project "openstack/project"]
-    m = PROJECT_RE.match(section)
-    if not m: continue
-    project = m.group(1)
+for section in config:
+    project = section['project']
 
     # Make sure we're supposed to close pull requests for this project:
-    if not (config.has_option(section, "close_pull") and
-            config.get(section, "close_pull").lower() == 'true'):
+    if 'options' not in section or 'close-pull' not in section['options']:
         continue
 
     # Find the project's repo
diff --git a/modules/github/manifests/init.pp b/modules/github/manifests/init.pp
index d4bc3253ef..24b055433c 100644
--- a/modules/github/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/modules/github/manifests/init.pp
@@ -32,13 +32,7 @@ class github (
   }
 
   file { '/etc/github/github.config':
-    owner => 'root',
-    group => 'root',
-    mode => 444,
-    ensure => 'present',
-    content => template('github/github.config.erb'),
-    replace => 'true',
-    require => File['/etc/github'],
+    ensure => absent
   }
 
   file { '/etc/github/github.secure.config':
diff --git a/modules/github/templates/github.config.erb b/modules/github/templates/github.config.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index 2945ae9356..0000000000
--- a/modules/github/templates/github.config.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-# This file is managed by puppet.
-# https://github.com/openstack/openstack-ci-puppet
-
-<% projects.each do |project| -%>
-[project "<%= project['name'] %>"]
-close_pull = <%= project['close_pull'] %>
-<% end -%>
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/files/review-dev.projects.yaml b/modules/openstack_project/files/review-dev.projects.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fc52cf0987
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/files/review-dev.projects.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+- project: gtest-org/test
+  options:
+  - close-pull
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/files/review.projects.yaml b/modules/openstack_project/files/review.projects.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7d4caafd3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/files/review.projects.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+- project: heat-api/heat
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/devstack-gate
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/gerrit
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+  remote: https://gerrit.googlesource.com/gerrit 
+- project: openstack-ci/gerrit-verification-status-plugin
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/gerritbot
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/gerritlib
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/git-review
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/lodgeit
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/meetbot
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/pypi-mirror
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-ci/zuul
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-dev/devstack
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-dev/openstack-nose
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-dev/openstack-qa
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-dev/pbr
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack-dev/sandbox
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/cinder
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/compute-api
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/glance
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/horizon
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/identity-api
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/image-api
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/keystone
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/melange
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/netconn-api
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/nova
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/object-api
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-chef
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-ci
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-ci-puppet
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-common
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-manuals
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-planet
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/openstack-puppet
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-cinderclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-glanceclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-keystoneclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-melangeclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-novaclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-openstackclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-quantumclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/python-swiftclient
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/quantum
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/swift
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: openstack/tempest
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: stackforge/MRaaS
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: stackforge/ceilometer
+  options:
+  - close-pull
+- project: stackforge/reddwarf
+  options:
+  - close-pull
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/gerrit.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/gerrit.pp
index 6f6e834bd0..cf04ab1159 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/gerrit.pp
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/gerrit.pp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class openstack_project::gerrit (
       $war,
       $script_user='update',
       $script_key_file='/home/gerrit2/.ssh/id_rsa',
-      $github_projects = [],
+      $projects_file='UNDEF',
       $github_username,
       $github_oauth_token,
       $mysql_password,
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class openstack_project::gerrit (
     mysql_password => $mysql_password,
     mysql_root_password => $mysql_root_password,
     email_private_key => $email_private_key,
+    projects_file => $projects_file,
     replicate_github => true,
     testmode => $testmode,
     require => Class[openstack_project::server],
@@ -80,9 +81,9 @@ class openstack_project::gerrit (
       script_key_file => $script_key_file,
     }
     class { 'github':
-      projects => $github_projects,
       username => $github_username,
       oauth_token => $github_oauth_token,
+      require => Class['::gerrit']
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/init.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/init.pp
index 8bc492a8de..572149720d 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/init.pp
@@ -9,121 +9,4 @@ class openstack_project {
     'devananda.vdv@gmail.com',
     'clark.boylan@gmail.com'
     ]
-
-  $project_list = [ {
-     name => 'openstack/keystone',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/glance',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/swift',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/nova',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/horizon',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/quantum',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/melange',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/tempest',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/openstack-ci',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/openstack-ci-puppet',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/openstack-puppet',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/openstack-chef',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/openstack-manuals',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/compute-api',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/image-api',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/identity-api',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/object-api',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/netconn-api',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-dev/devstack',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-dev/openstack-qa',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-dev/pbr',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/python-novaclient',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/python-glanceclient',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-ci/git-review',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-ci/lodgeit',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-ci/meetbot',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-ci/zuul',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-ci/pypi-mirror',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/openstack-common',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/cinder',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/python-openstackclient',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack-dev/openstack-nose',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/python-cinderclient',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'openstack/python-swiftclient',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'stackforge/MRaaS',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'stackforge/reddwarf',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'stackforge/ceilometer',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }, {
-     name => 'heat-api/heat',
-     close_pull => 'true'
-     }
-  ]
 }
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review.pp
index 8f323299d4..1bac91c75f 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review.pp
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review.pp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class openstack_project::review(
     war => 'http://tarballs.openstack.org/ci/gerrit-2.4.2-11-gb5a28fb.war',
     script_user => 'launchpadsync',
     script_key_file => '/home/gerrit2/.ssh/launchpadsync_rsa',
-    github_projects => $openstack_project::project_list,
+    projects_file => 'puppet:///openstack_project/review.projects.yaml',
     github_username => 'openstack-gerrit',
     github_oauth_token => $github_oauth_token,
     mysql_password => $mysql_password,
@@ -60,10 +60,5 @@ class openstack_project::review(
     user => 'gerritbot',
     virtual_hostname => $fqdn
   }
-  class { 'gerrit::remotes':
-    upstream_projects => [ {
-                         name => 'openstack-ci/gerrit',
-                         remote => 'https://gerrit.googlesource.com/gerrit'
-                         } ],
-  }
+  include gerrit::remotes
 }
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review_dev.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review_dev.pp
index 3d1d6714e8..9ecd48dfb7 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review_dev.pp
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/review_dev.pp
@@ -11,10 +11,7 @@ class openstack_project::review_dev(
     ssl_chain_file => '',
     email => "review-dev@openstack.org",
     war => 'http://tarballs.openstack.org/ci/gerrit-2.4.2-11-gb5a28fb.war',
-    github_projects => [ {
-                         name => 'gtest-org/test',
-                         close_pull => 'true'
-                         } ],
+    projects_file => 'puppet:///openstack_project/review-dev.projects.yaml',
     github_username => 'openstack-gerrit-dev',
     github_oauth_token => $github_oauth_token,
     mysql_password => $mysql_password,