diff --git a/defaults/main.yaml b/defaults/main.yaml
index 9985f84..821c1c6 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -17,8 +17,11 @@ zuul_user_name: zuul
 zuul_user_group: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
 zuul_user_home: "/var/lib/{{ zuul_user_name }}"
 
-zuul_project_config_dir: ""
-zuul_project_config_dir_dest: /etc/zuul/config
+zuul_file_layout_yaml_dest: /etc/zuul/layout.yaml
+zuul_file_layout_yaml_group: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
+zuul_file_layout_yaml_mode: "0644"
+zuul_file_layout_yaml_owner: "{{ zuul_user_group }}"
+zuul_file_layout_yaml_src: etc/zuul/layout.yaml
 
 zuul_config_gearman_port: 4730
 zuul_config_gearman_server: 127.0.0.1
@@ -38,7 +41,7 @@ zuul_config_merger_git_user_name: ""
 zuul_config_merger_log_config: /etc/zuul/merger-logging.conf
 zuul_config_merger_zuul_url: 127.0.0.1
 
-zuul_config_zuul_layout_config: "{{ zuul_project_config_dir_dest }}/layout.yaml"
+zuul_config_zuul_layout_config: "{{ zuul_file_layout_yaml_dest }}"
 zuul_config_zuul_log_config: /etc/zuul/server-logging.conf
 zuul_config_zuul_state_dir: "{{ zuul_user_home }}"
 
diff --git a/files/etc/zuul/layout.yaml b/files/etc/zuul/layout.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bce06e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/files/etc/zuul/layout.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# This file is generated by Ansible
+#  DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE BY HAND -- YOUR CHANGES WILL BE OVERWRITTEN
+#
+pipelines: []
+
+jobs: []
+
+projects: []
diff --git a/tasks/config.yaml b/tasks/config.yaml
index 99eb3f9..79a05a8 100644
--- a/tasks/config.yaml
+++ b/tasks/config.yaml
@@ -59,24 +59,11 @@
     src: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf }}"
   notify: Reload zuul-server
 
-- name: Create project config directory.
-  file:
-    group: "{{ ansible_ssh_user }}"
-    mode: 0775
-    owner: "{{ ansible_ssh_user }}"
-    path: "{{ item }}"
-    state: directory
-  with_items:
-    - "{{ zuul_project_config_dir_dest }}"
-  notify: Reload zuul-server
-
-- name: Rsync project config directory.
-  sudo: no
-  synchronize:
-    dest: "{{ zuul_project_config_dir_dest }}"
-    perms: yes
-    rsync_opts:
-      - '--delete'
-    src: "{{ zuul_project_config_dir }}"
-  when: zuul_project_config_dir != ""
+- name: Copy layout yaml file.
+  copy:
+    dest: "{{ zuul_file_layout_yaml_dest }}"
+    group: "{{ zuul_file_layout_yaml_group }}"
+    mode: "{{ zuul_file_layout_yaml_mode }}"
+    owner: "{{ zuul_file_layout_yaml_owner }}"
+    src: "{{ zuul_file_layout_yaml_src }}"
   notify: Reload zuul-server
diff --git a/tests/test.yaml b/tests/test.yaml
index 1bfd7aa..711ea28 100644
--- a/tests/test.yaml
+++ b/tests/test.yaml
@@ -64,26 +64,19 @@
           - zuul_git_dest_stat.stat.exists
           - zuul_git_dest_stat.stat.isdir
 
-    - name: Register zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat.
+    - name: Register /etc/zuul/layout.yaml
       stat:
-        path: /etc/zuul/config
-      register: zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat
+        path: /etc/zuul/layout.yaml
+      register: zuul_layout_yaml_stat
 
-    - name: Assert zuul_project_config_dir_dest tests.
+    - name: Assert zuul_layout_yaml_stat tests.
       assert:
         that:
-          - zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat.stat.exists
-          - zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat.stat.isdir
-            # NOTE(pabelanger): This means we are hardcoded to the
-            # openstack-infra jenkins user in nodepool.
-          - zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat.stat.pw_name == 'jenkins'
-          - zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat.stat.gr_name == 'jenkins'
-          - zuul_project_config_dir_dest_stat.stat.mode == '0775'
-
-    - name: Ensure /etc/zuul/config is empty.
-      shell: "ls -1 /etc/zuul/config | wc -l"
-      register: result
-      failed_when: result.stdout != "0"
+          - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.exists
+          - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.isreg
+          - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.pw_name == 'zuul'
+          - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.gr_name == 'zuul'
+          - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.mode == '0644'
 
     - name: Register /etc/init.d/zuul-merger
       stat: