diff --git a/etc/neutron.conf b/etc/neutron.conf
index 0836626424..1c7042a3f7 100644
--- a/etc/neutron.conf
+++ b/etc/neutron.conf
@@ -251,6 +251,11 @@ lock_path = $state_path/lock
 # The uuid of the admin nova tenant
 # nova_admin_tenant_id =
 
+# The name of the admin nova tenant. If the uuid of the admin nova tenant
+# is set, this is optional.  Useful for cases where the uuid of the admin
+# nova tenant is not available when configuration is being done.
+# nova_admin_tenant_name =
+
 # Password for connection to nova in admin context.
 # nova_admin_password =
 
diff --git a/neutron/common/config.py b/neutron/common/config.py
index cda8d0503b..7f60851a60 100644
--- a/neutron/common/config.py
+++ b/neutron/common/config.py
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ core_opts = [
                secret=True),
     cfg.StrOpt('nova_admin_tenant_id',
                help=_('The uuid of the admin nova tenant')),
+    cfg.StrOpt('nova_admin_tenant_name',
+               help=_('The name of the admin nova tenant')),
     cfg.StrOpt('nova_admin_auth_url',
                default='http://localhost:5000/v2.0',
                help=_('Authorization URL for connecting to nova in admin '
diff --git a/neutron/notifiers/nova.py b/neutron/notifiers/nova.py
index aa4f1b53e1..2b2bab63d1 100644
--- a/neutron/notifiers/nova.py
+++ b/neutron/notifiers/nova.py
@@ -41,12 +41,16 @@ class Notifier(object):
     def __init__(self):
         # TODO(arosen): we need to cache the endpoints and figure out
         # how to deal with different regions here....
-        bypass_url = "%s/%s" % (cfg.CONF.nova_url,
-                                cfg.CONF.nova_admin_tenant_id)
+        if cfg.CONF.nova_admin_tenant_id:
+            bypass_url = "%s/%s" % (cfg.CONF.nova_url,
+                                    cfg.CONF.nova_admin_tenant_id)
+        else:
+            bypass_url = None
+
         self.nclient = nclient.Client(
             username=cfg.CONF.nova_admin_username,
             api_key=cfg.CONF.nova_admin_password,
-            project_id=None,
+            project_id=cfg.CONF.nova_admin_tenant_name,
             tenant_id=cfg.CONF.nova_admin_tenant_id,
             auth_url=cfg.CONF.nova_admin_auth_url,
             cacert=cfg.CONF.nova_ca_certificates_file,