diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index 8f2e0167..2be3438f 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ options:
       accomodate the packet overhead of using GRE tunnels.
   enable-l3-agent:
     type: boolean
-    default: True 
+    default: True
     description: |
       Optional configuration to support use of linux router
       Note that this is used only for Cisco n1kv plugin.
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ options:
       .
       This network will be used for tenant network traffic in overlay
       networks.
+  sysctl:
+    default:
+    description: |
+      YAML-formatted associative array of sysctl key/value pairs to be set
+      persistently e.g. '{ kernel.pid_max : 4194303 }'.>>>>>>> MERGE-SOURCE
   # Legacy HA
   ha-legacy-mode:
     type: boolean
diff --git a/hooks/charmhelpers/core/decorators.py b/hooks/charmhelpers/core/decorators.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..029a4ef4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hooks/charmhelpers/core/decorators.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2014 Canonical Ltd.
+#
+# Authors:
+#  Edward Hope-Morley <opentastic@gmail.com>
+#
+
+import time
+
+from charmhelpers.core.hookenv import (
+    log,
+    INFO,
+)
+
+
+def retry_on_exception(num_retries, base_delay=0, exc_type=Exception):
+    """If the decorated function raises exception exc_type, allow num_retries
+    retry attempts before raise the exception.
+    """
+    def _retry_on_exception_inner_1(f):
+        def _retry_on_exception_inner_2(*args, **kwargs):
+            retries = num_retries
+            multiplier = 1
+            while True:
+                try:
+                    return f(*args, **kwargs)
+                except exc_type:
+                    if not retries:
+                        raise
+
+                delay = base_delay * multiplier
+                multiplier += 1
+                log("Retrying '%s' %d more times (delay=%s)" %
+                    (f.__name__, retries, delay), level=INFO)
+                retries -= 1
+                if delay:
+                    time.sleep(delay)
+
+        return _retry_on_exception_inner_2
+
+    return _retry_on_exception_inner_1
diff --git a/hooks/quantum_hooks.py b/hooks/quantum_hooks.py
index 481abae1..261e4fc6 100755
--- a/hooks/quantum_hooks.py
+++ b/hooks/quantum_hooks.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from charmhelpers.contrib.openstack.utils import (
     openstack_upgrade_available,
 )
 from charmhelpers.payload.execd import execd_preinstall
+from charmhelpers.core.sysctl import create as create_sysctl
 
 import sys
 from quantum_utils import (
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ def install():
         src = 'cloud:precise-folsom'
     configure_installation_source(src)
     apt_update(fatal=True)
+    apt_install('python-six', fatal=True)  # Force upgrade
     if valid_plugin():
         apt_install(filter_installed_packages(get_early_packages()),
                     fatal=True)
@@ -85,6 +87,11 @@ def config_changed():
     global CONFIGS
     if openstack_upgrade_available(get_common_package()):
         CONFIGS = do_openstack_upgrade()
+
+    sysctl_dict = config('sysctl')
+    if sysctl_dict:
+        create_sysctl(sysctl_dict, '/etc/sysctl.d/50-quantum-gateway.conf')
+
     # Re-run joined hooks as config might have changed
     for r_id in relation_ids('shared-db'):
         db_joined(relation_id=r_id)
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_quantum_hooks.py b/unit_tests/test_quantum_hooks.py
index c5f0520f..ee39c1bd 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_quantum_hooks.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_quantum_hooks.py
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ TO_PATCH = [
     'lsb_release',
     'stop_services',
     'b64decode',
-    'is_relation_made'
+    'is_relation_made',
+    'create_sysctl',
 ]
 
 
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ class TestQuantumHooks(CharmTestCase):
     def test_config_changed(self):
         def mock_relids(rel):
             return ['relid']
+        self.test_config.set('sysctl', '{ kernel.max_pid: "1337"}')
         self.openstack_upgrade_available.return_value = True
         self.valid_plugin.return_value = True
         self.relation_ids.side_effect = mock_relids
@@ -112,6 +114,7 @@ class TestQuantumHooks(CharmTestCase):
         self.assertTrue(_pgsql_db_joined.called)
         self.assertTrue(_amqp_joined.called)
         self.assertTrue(_amqp_nova_joined.called)
+        self.create_sysctl.assert_called()
 
     def test_config_changed_upgrade(self):
         self.openstack_upgrade_available.return_value = True