diff --git a/defaults/main.yaml b/defaults/main.yaml
index 6cf9f5a..66357ec 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -23,36 +23,29 @@ zuul_file_layout_mode: "0755"
 zuul_file_layout_owner: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
 zuul_file_layout_src: etc/zuul/config/
 
-zuul_config_gearman_port: 4730
-zuul_config_gearman_server: 127.0.0.1
+zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_dest: /etc/zuul/gearman-logging.conf
+zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_group: "{{ zuul_user_group }}"
+zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_mode: "0644"
+zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_owner: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
+zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_src: etc/zuul/gearman-logging.conf
 
-zuul_config_gearman_server_start: true
-zuul_config_gearman_server_listen_address: 127.0.0.1
-zuul_config_gearman_server_log_config: /etc/zuul/gearman-logging.conf
+zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_dest: /etc/zuul/merger-logging.conf
+zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_group: "{{ zuul_user_group }}"
+zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_mode: "0644"
+zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_owner: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
+zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_src: etc/zuul/merger-logging.conf
 
-zuul_config_gerrit_port: 29418
-zuul_config_gerrit_server: 127.0.0.1
-zuul_config_gerrit_sshkey: "{{ zuul_user_home }}/.ssh/id_rsa"
-zuul_config_gerrit_user: zuul
+zuul_file_server_logging_conf_dest: /etc/zuul/server-logging.conf
+zuul_file_server_logging_conf_group: "{{ zuul_user_group }}"
+zuul_file_server_logging_conf_mode: "0644"
+zuul_file_server_logging_conf_owner: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
+zuul_file_server_logging_conf_src: etc/zuul/server-logging.conf
 
-zuul_config_merger_git_dir: "{{ zuul_user_home }}/git"
-zuul_config_merger_git_user_email: ""
-zuul_config_merger_git_user_name: ""
-zuul_config_merger_log_config: /etc/zuul/merger-logging.conf
-zuul_config_merger_pidfile: /var/run/zuul-merger/zuul-merger.pid
-zuul_config_merger_zuul_url: 127.0.0.1
-
-zuul_config_zuul_layout_config: "{{ zuul_file_layout_dest }}/layout.yaml"
-zuul_config_zuul_log_config: /etc/zuul/server-logging.conf
-zuul_config_zuul_pidfile: /var/run/zuul-server/zuul-server.pid
-zuul_config_zuul_state_dir: "{{ zuul_user_home }}"
-
-zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf: etc/zuul/gearman-logging.conf
-zuul_file_merger_logging_conf: etc/zuul/merger-logging.conf
-zuul_file_server_logging_conf: etc/zuul/server-logging.conf
-
-zuul_template_zuul_conf_dest: /etc/zuul/zuul.conf
-zuul_template_zuul_conf_src: etc/zuul/zuul.conf.j2
+zuul_file_zuul_conf_dest: /etc/zuul/zuul.conf
+zuul_file_zuul_conf_group: "{{ zuul_user_group }}"
+zuul_file_zuul_conf_mode: "0644"
+zuul_file_zuul_conf_owner: "{{ zuul_user_name }}"
+zuul_file_zuul_conf_src: etc/zuul/zuul.conf
 
 # tasks/install.yaml
 zuul_git_dest: /opt/ansible-role-zuul/git/openstack-infra/zuul
diff --git a/files/etc/zuul/zuul.conf b/files/etc/zuul/zuul.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ad21e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/files/etc/zuul/zuul.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# This file is generated by Ansible
+#  DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE BY HAND -- YOUR CHANGES WILL BE OVERWRITTEN
+#
+[gearman]
+port = 4730
+server = 127.0.0.1
+
+[gearman_server]
+listen_address = 127.0.0.1
+log_config = /etc/zuul/gearman-logging.conf
+start = true
+
+[gerrit]
+port = 29418
+server = 127.0.0.1
+sshkey = /var/lib/zuul/.ssh/id_rsa
+user = zuul
+
+[zuul]
+layout_config = /etc/zuul/config/layout.yaml
+log_config = /etc/zuul/server-logging.conf
+pidfile = /var/run/zuul-server/zuul-server.pid
+state_dir = /var/lib/zuul
+
+[merger]
+git_dir = /var/lib/zuul/git
+log_config = /etc/zuul/merger-logging.conf
+pidfile = /var/run/zuul-merger/zuul-merger.pid
+zuul_url = 127.0.0.1
diff --git a/tasks/config.yaml b/tasks/config.yaml
index 01ecd6a..d99c637 100644
--- a/tasks/config.yaml
+++ b/tasks/config.yaml
@@ -23,34 +23,34 @@
     - /etc/zuul
     - /var/log/zuul
 
-- name: Template zuul configuration file.
-  become: yes
-  template:
-    dest: "{{ zuul_template_zuul_conf_dest }}"
-    src: "{{ zuul_template_zuul_conf_src }}"
-  notify:
-    - Reload zuul-merger
-    - Reload zuul-server
-
 - name: Copy gearman logging file.
   become: yes
   copy:
-    dest: "{{ zuul_config_gearman_server_log_config }}"
-    src: "{{ zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf }}"
+    dest: "{{ zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_dest }}"
+    group: "{{ zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_group }}"
+    mode: "{{ zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_mode }}"
+    owner: "{{ zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_owner }}"
+    src: "{{ zuul_file_gearman_logging_conf_src }}"
   notify: Reload zuul-server
 
 - name: Copy merger logging file.
   become: yes
   copy:
-    dest: "{{ zuul_config_merger_log_config }}"
-    src: "{{ zuul_file_merger_logging_conf }}"
+    dest: "{{ zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_dest }}"
+    group: "{{ zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_group }}"
+    mode: "{{ zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_mode }}"
+    owner: "{{ zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_owner }}"
+    src: "{{ zuul_file_merger_logging_conf_src }}"
   notify: Reload zuul-merger
 
 - name: Copy server logging file.
   become: yes
   copy:
-    dest: "{{ zuul_config_zuul_log_config }}"
-    src: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf }}"
+    dest: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf_dest }}"
+    group: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf_group }}"
+    mode: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf_mode }}"
+    owner: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf_owner }}"
+    src: "{{ zuul_file_server_logging_conf_src }}"
   notify: Reload zuul-server
 
 - name: Copy layout configuration.
@@ -62,3 +62,15 @@
     owner: "{{ zuul_file_layout_owner }}"
     src: "{{ zuul_file_layout_src }}"
   notify: Reload zuul-server
+
+- name: Copy zuul configuration.
+  become: yes
+  copy:
+    dest: "{{ zuul_file_zuul_conf_dest }}"
+    group: "{{ zuul_file_zuul_conf_group }}"
+    mode: "{{ zuul_file_zuul_conf_mode }}"
+    owner: "{{ zuul_file_zuul_conf_owner }}"
+    src: "{{ zuul_file_zuul_conf_src }}"
+  notify:
+    - Reload zuul-merger
+    - Reload zuul-server
diff --git a/templates/etc/zuul/zuul.conf.j2 b/templates/etc/zuul/zuul.conf.j2
deleted file mode 100644
index a74d3db..0000000
--- a/templates/etc/zuul/zuul.conf.j2
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-[gearman]
-port = {{ zuul_config_gearman_port }}
-server = {{ zuul_config_gearman_server }}
-
-[gearman_server]
-listen_address = {{ zuul_config_gearman_server_listen_address }}
-log_config = {{ zuul_config_gearman_server_log_config }}
-start = {{ zuul_config_gearman_server_start }}
-
-[gerrit]
-port = {{ zuul_config_gerrit_port }}
-server = {{ zuul_config_gerrit_server }}
-sshkey = {{ zuul_config_gerrit_sshkey }}
-user = {{ zuul_config_gerrit_user }}
-
-[zuul]
-layout_config = {{ zuul_config_zuul_layout_config }}
-log_config = {{ zuul_config_zuul_log_config }}
-pidfile = {{ zuul_config_zuul_pidfile }}
-state_dir = {{ zuul_config_zuul_state_dir }}
-
-[merger]
-git_dir = {{ zuul_config_merger_git_dir }}
-{% if zuul_config_merger_git_user_email != "" %}
-git_user_email = {{ zuul_config_merger_git_user_email }}
-{%endif %}
-{% if zuul_config_merger_git_user_name != "" %}
-git_user_name = {{ zuul_config_merger_git_user_name }}
-{%endif %}
-log_config = {{ zuul_config_merger_log_config }}
-pidfile = {{ zuul_config_merger_pidfile }}
-zuul_url = {{ zuul_config_merger_zuul_url }}
-
-# {{ ansible_managed }}
diff --git a/tests/test.yaml b/tests/test.yaml
index e9e32cd..7b59268 100644
--- a/tests/test.yaml
+++ b/tests/test.yaml
@@ -91,6 +91,19 @@
           - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.pw_name == 'zuul'
           - zuul_layout_yaml_stat.stat.gr_name == 'zuul'
 
+    - name: Register /etc/zuul/zuul.conf
+      stat:
+        path: /etc/zuul/zuul.conf
+      register: zuul_conf_stat
+
+    - name: Assert zuul_conf_stat tests.
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - zuul_conf_stat.stat.exists
+          - zuul_conf_stat.stat.isreg
+          - zuul_conf_stat.stat.pw_name == 'zuul'
+          - zuul_conf_stat.stat.gr_name == 'zuul'
+
     - name: Register /etc/default/zuul
       stat:
         path: /etc/default/zuul