diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 12abdada..7142ba40 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 ## Verbosity Options
 debug: False
 
+# Install openstack tempest
+# set the tempest_install_method to source or distro
+# on choosing source it will install from git or venv
+# on choosing distro it will install based on distribution
+tempest_install_method: "source"
+
 # Set the package install state for distribution and pip packages
 # # Options are 'present' and 'latest'
 tempest_package_state: "latest"
@@ -75,9 +81,12 @@ tempest_log_dir: "/var/log/tempest"
 #     package: ironic                                                    #for installing the plugin from packages
 tempest_plugins: "{{ _tempest_plugins['keystone'] + _tempest_plugins['cinder'] + _tempest_plugins['heat'] + _tempest_plugins['neutron'] }}"
 
+# tempest_workspace where tempest can be runned
+tempest_workspace: "{{ ansible_env.HOME }}/workspace"
+
 # The location where the test whitelist/blacklist will be placed
-tempest_test_whitelist_file_path: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace/etc/tempest_whitelist.txt"
-tempest_test_blacklist_file_path: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace/etc/tempest_blacklist.txt"
+tempest_test_whitelist_file_path: "{{ tempest_workspace }}/etc/tempest_whitelist.txt"
+tempest_test_blacklist_file_path: "{{ tempest_workspace }}/etc/tempest_blacklist.txt"
 
 # Tests to execute:
 # This sets up a list of tests to execute based on what's deployed in the environment.
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add-support-for-distro-89611067ce74fc2c.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add-support-for-distro-89611067ce74fc2c.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9936187a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add-support-for-distro-89611067ce74fc2c.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The ``os_tempest`` role now has the ability to install from distribution packages by setting
+    ``tempest_install_method`` to ``distro``.
+  - |
+    The new variable ``tempest_workspace`` has been introduced to set the location of the tempest
+    workspace.
+  - |
+    The default location of the default tempest configuration is now ``/etc/tempest/tempest.conf``
+    rather than the previous default of ``$HOME/.tempest/etc``.
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 28250f29..8f5323a9 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@
   tags:
     - always
 
+- name: Gather variables for installation method
+  include_vars: "{{ tempest_install_method }}_install.yml"
+  tags:
+    - always
+
 - include_tasks: tempest_install.yml
   tags:
     - tempest-install
diff --git a/tasks/stackviz.yml b/tasks/stackviz.yml
index 9bbd3985..373a869f 100644
--- a/tasks/stackviz.yml
+++ b/tasks/stackviz.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     . {{ stackviz_venv_bin }}/activate
     stackviz-export -f {{ tempest_log_dir }}/testrepository.subunit --env {{ tempest_log_dir }}/stackviz/data
   args:
-    chdir: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace"
+    chdir: "{{ tempest_workspace }}"
     executable: /bin/bash
   tags:
     # don't trigger ANSIBLE0013
diff --git a/tasks/tempest_install.yml b/tasks/tempest_install.yml
index ebd41fa5..e03e0a94 100644
--- a/tasks/tempest_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/tempest_install.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 # Copyright 2014, Rackspace US, Inc.
+# Copyright 2018, Red Hat, Inc.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -13,114 +14,17 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-# TODO(odyssey4me):
-# This can be simplified once all the roles are using
-# python_venv_build. We can then switch to using a
-# set of constraints in pip.conf inside the venv,
-# perhaps prepared by giving a giving a list of
-# constraints to the role.
-- name: Create developer mode constraint file
-  copy:
-    dest: "/opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt"
-    content: |
-      {% for item in tempest_developer_constraints %}
-      {{ item }}
-      {% endfor %}
-  when: tempest_developer_mode | bool
-
-- name: Ensure remote wheel building is disabled in developer mode
-  set_fact:
-    venv_build_host: "{{ ansible_hostname }}"
-  when:
-    - tempest_developer_mode | bool
-
-- name: Install the python venv
-  include_role:
-    name: "python_venv_build"
-    private: yes
-  vars:
-    venv_install_destination_path: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
-    venv_install_distro_package_list: "{{ tempest_distro_packages }}"
-    venv_pip_install_args: "{{ tempest_pip_install_args }}"
-    venv_pip_packages: "{{ tempest_pip_packages }}"
-    venv_facts_when_changed:
-      - section: "tempest"
-        option: "venv_tag"
-        value: "{{ tempest_venv_tag }}"
-
-- name: Get tempest plugins from git
-  git:
-    repo: "{{ item.repo }}"
-    dest: "/opt/{{ item.name|replace('-', '_') }}_{{ item.branch|replace('/', '_') }}"
-    version: "{{ item.branch }}"
-    force: yes
-  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
-  when: item.repo is defined
-  register: git_clone
-  until: git_clone is success
+- name: Install distro packages
+  package:
+    name: "{{ tempest_package_list }}"
+    state: "{{ tempest_package_state }}"
+    update_cache: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr in ['apt', 'zypper']) | ternary('yes', omit) }}"
+    cache_valid_time: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt') | ternary(cache_timeout, omit) }}"
+  register: install_packages
+  until: install_packages is success
   retries: 5
   delay: 2
 
-- name: Check for the existance of the test-requirements.txt file
-  stat:
-    path: "/opt/{{ item.name|replace('-', '_') }}_{{ item.branch|replace('/', '_') }}/test-requirements.txt"
-  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
-  when: item.repo is defined
-  register: _test_requirements_stat
-
-- name: Install tempest plugin requirements
-  pip:
-    requirements: "{{ item.stat.path }}"
-    state: "{{ tempest_pip_package_state }}"
-    virtualenv: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
-    virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
-    extra_args: >-
-      {{ tempest_developer_mode | ternary(pip_install_developer_constraints | default('--constraint /opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt'), '') }}
-      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
-      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
-      --isolated
-  with_items: "{{ _test_requirements_stat.results }}"
-  when:
-    - "item.item.repo is defined"
-    - "item.stat.exists"
-    - "(item.item.install_test_requirements | default(True)) | bool"
-  register: install_tempest_plugin_requirements
-  until: install_tempest_plugin_requirements is success
-  retries: 5
-  delay: 2
-
-- name: Install tempest plugins from cloned repo
-  pip:
-    name: "/opt/{{ item.name|replace('-', '_') }}_{{ item.branch|replace('/', '_') }}"
-    state: "{{ tempest_pip_package_state }}"
-    virtualenv: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
-    virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
-    extra_args: >-
-      {{ tempest_developer_mode | ternary(pip_install_developer_constraints | default('--constraint /opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt'), '') }}
-      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
-      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
-      --isolated
-  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
-  when: item.repo is defined
-  register: install_tempest_plugins
-  until: install_tempest_plugins is success
-  retries: 5
-  delay: 2
-
-- name: Install tempest plugins from packages
-  pip:
-    name: "{{ item.package }}"
-    state: "{{ tempest_pip_package_state }}"
-    virtualenv: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
-    virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
-    extra_args: >-
-      {{ tempest_developer_mode | ternary(pip_install_developer_constraints | default('--constraint /opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt'), '') }}
-      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
-      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
-      --isolated
-  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
-  when: item.package is defined
-  register: install_tempest_plugins_packages
-  until: install_tempest_plugins_packages is success
-  retries: 5
-  delay: 2
+- name: Install Tempest packages from PIP
+  include_tasks: tempest_install_source.yml
+  when: tempest_install_method == 'source'
diff --git a/tasks/tempest_install_source.yml b/tasks/tempest_install_source.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..513888aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/tempest_install_source.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2014, Rackspace US, Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+# TODO(odyssey4me):
+# This can be simplified once all the roles are using
+# python_venv_build. We can then switch to using a
+# set of constraints in pip.conf inside the venv,
+# perhaps prepared by giving a giving a list of
+# constraints to the role.
+- name: Create developer mode constraint file
+  copy:
+    dest: "/opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt"
+    content: |
+      {% for item in tempest_developer_constraints %}
+      {{ item }}
+      {% endfor %}
+  when: tempest_developer_mode | bool
+
+- name: Ensure remote wheel building is disabled in developer mode
+  set_fact:
+    venv_build_host: "{{ ansible_hostname }}"
+  when:
+    - tempest_developer_mode | bool
+
+- name: Install the python venv
+  include_role:
+    name: "python_venv_build"
+    private: yes
+  vars:
+    venv_install_destination_path: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    venv_pip_install_args: "{{ tempest_pip_install_args }}"
+    venv_pip_packages: "{{ tempest_pip_packages }}"
+    venv_facts_when_changed:
+      - section: "tempest"
+        option: "venv_tag"
+        value: "{{ tempest_venv_tag }}"
+
+- name: Get tempest plugins from git
+  git:
+    repo: "{{ item.repo }}"
+    dest: "/opt/{{ item.name|replace('-', '_') }}_{{ item.branch|replace('/', '_') }}"
+    version: "{{ item.branch }}"
+    force: yes
+  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
+  when: item.repo is defined
+  register: git_clone
+  until: git_clone is success
+  retries: 5
+  delay: 2
+
+- name: Check for the existance of the test-requirements.txt file
+  stat:
+    path: "/opt/{{ item.name|replace('-', '_') }}_{{ item.branch|replace('/', '_') }}/test-requirements.txt"
+  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
+  when: item.repo is defined
+  register: _test_requirements_stat
+
+- name: Install tempest plugin requirements
+  pip:
+    requirements: "{{ item.stat.path }}"
+    state: "{{ tempest_pip_package_state }}"
+    virtualenv: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
+    extra_args: >-
+      {{ tempest_developer_mode | ternary(pip_install_developer_constraints | default('--constraint /opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt'), '') }}
+      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
+      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
+      --isolated
+  with_items: "{{ _test_requirements_stat.results }}"
+  when:
+    - "item.item.repo is defined"
+    - "item.stat.exists"
+    - "(item.item.install_test_requirements | default(True)) | bool"
+  register: install_tempest_plugin_requirements
+  until: install_tempest_plugin_requirements is success
+  retries: 5
+  delay: 2
+
+- name: Install tempest plugins from cloned repo
+  pip:
+    name: "/opt/{{ item.name|replace('-', '_') }}_{{ item.branch|replace('/', '_') }}"
+    state: "{{ tempest_pip_package_state }}"
+    virtualenv: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
+    extra_args: >-
+      {{ tempest_developer_mode | ternary(pip_install_developer_constraints | default('--constraint /opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt'), '') }}
+      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
+      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
+      --isolated
+  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
+  when: item.repo is defined
+  register: install_tempest_plugins
+  until: install_tempest_plugins is success
+  retries: 5
+  delay: 2
+
+- name: Install tempest plugins from packages
+  pip:
+    name: "{{ item.package }}"
+    state: "{{ tempest_pip_package_state }}"
+    virtualenv: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
+    extra_args: >-
+      {{ tempest_developer_mode | ternary(pip_install_developer_constraints | default('--constraint /opt/developer-pip-constraints.txt'), '') }}
+      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
+      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
+      --isolated
+  with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
+  when: item.package is defined
+  register: install_tempest_plugins_packages
+  until: install_tempest_plugins_packages is success
+  retries: 5
+  delay: 2
diff --git a/tasks/tempest_post_install.yml b/tasks/tempest_post_install.yml
index 60028a5e..0b4fba1a 100644
--- a/tasks/tempest_post_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/tempest_post_install.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 # Copyright 2014, Rackspace US, Inc.
+# Copyright 2018, Red Hat, Inc.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -22,13 +23,14 @@
     mode: "{{ item.mode|default('0755') }}"
   with_items:
     - path: "{{ tempest_log_dir | realpath }}"
-    - path: "{{ ansible_env.HOME }}/.tempest/etc"
     - path: "{{ tempest_image_dir }}"
+    - path: "{{ tempest_workspace }}"
+    - path: "/etc/tempest"
 
 - name: Copy tempest config
   config_template:
     src: "tempest.conf.j2"
-    dest: "{{ ansible_env.HOME }}/.tempest/etc/tempest.conf"
+    dest: "/etc/tempest/tempest.conf"
     owner: "root"
     group: "root"
     mode: "0644"
@@ -37,10 +39,12 @@
 
 - name: Initialise tempest workspace
   shell: |
-    if [ ! -d {{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace ]
-    then
-      . {{ tempest_venv_bin }}/activate
-      tempest init {{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace
+    set -e
+    if [ ! -d {{ tempest_workspace }}/etc ]; then
+        if [ -d {{ tempest_venv_bin }} ]; then
+            . {{ tempest_venv_bin }}/activate
+        fi
+      tempest init {{ tempest_workspace }}
       exit 3
     fi
   args:
@@ -75,4 +79,3 @@
     dest: "{{ tempest_test_blacklist_file_path }}"
   when:
     - tempest_test_blacklist | length > 0
-
diff --git a/tasks/tempest_run.yml b/tasks/tempest_run.yml
index f43560f0..238bac33 100644
--- a/tasks/tempest_run.yml
+++ b/tasks/tempest_run.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,14 @@
 - block:
   - name: Execute tempest tests
     shell: |
+      set -e
+      if [ -d {{ tempest_venv_bin }} ]
+      then
       . {{ tempest_venv_bin }}/activate
+      fi
       tempest run {% if tempest_run_concurrency is defined %}{% if tempest_run_concurrency | int > 0 %}--concurrency {{ tempest_run_concurrency | int }}{% else %}--serial{% endif %}{% endif %} --whitelist-file {{ tempest_test_whitelist_file_path }}{% if tempest_test_blacklist | length > 0 %} --blacklist-file {{ tempest_test_blacklist_file_path }}{% endif %}
     args:
-      chdir: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace"
+      chdir: "{{ tempest_workspace }}"
       executable: /bin/bash
     changed_when: false
     register: tempest_tests_run
@@ -35,10 +39,14 @@
     # NOTE(mattt): At present we're not placing this file in a valid location
     # to be used by the OpenStack Health dashboard.
     shell: |
+      set -e
+      if [ -d {{ tempest_venv_bin }} ]
+      then
       . {{ tempest_venv_bin }}/activate
+      fi
       stestr last --subunit > {{ tempest_log_dir }}/testrepository.subunit
     args:
-      chdir: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace"
+      chdir: "{{ tempest_workspace }}"
       executable: /bin/bash
     changed_when: false
     failed_when: false
@@ -48,10 +56,14 @@
 
   - name: Generate xml subunit results
     shell: |
+      set -e
+      if [ -d {{ tempest_venv_bin }} ]
+      then
       . {{ tempest_venv_bin }}/activate
+      fi
       subunit2junitxml {{ tempest_log_dir }}/testrepository.subunit > {{ tempest_log_dir }}/tempest_results.xml
     args:
-      chdir: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace"
+      chdir: "{{ tempest_workspace }}"
       executable: /bin/bash
     changed_when: false
     failed_when: false
@@ -61,10 +73,14 @@
 
   - name: Generate html subunit results
     shell: |
+      set -e
+      if [ -d {{ tempest_venv_bin }} ]
+      then
       . {{ tempest_venv_bin }}/activate
+      fi
       subunit2html {{ tempest_log_dir }}/testrepository.subunit {{ tempest_log_dir }}/stestr_results.html
     args:
-      chdir: "{{ tempest_venv_bin | dirname }}/workspace"
+      chdir: "{{ tempest_workspace }}"
       executable: /bin/bash
     changed_when: false
     failed_when: false
diff --git a/tests/test-tempest-functional.yml b/tests/test-tempest-functional.yml
index 417dcb2f..fa4457f1 100644
--- a/tests/test-tempest-functional.yml
+++ b/tests/test-tempest-functional.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
           exit 1
         fi
       with_items: "{{ tempest_plugins }}"
+      when:
+       - tempest_install_method | default('source') == 'source'
       tags:
         - skip_ansible_lint
 
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 71a77a27..8ca8bac7 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -93,6 +93,14 @@ commands =
     bash -c "{toxinidir}/tests/common/test-ansible-functional.sh"
 
 
+[testenv:distro_install]
+setenv =
+    {[testenv]setenv}
+    ANSIBLE_PARAMETERS=-e @{toxinidir}/tests/common/test-distro_install-vars.yml
+commands =
+    bash -c "{toxinidir}/tests/common/test-ansible-functional.sh"
+
+
 [testenv:linters]
 basepython = python3
 commands =
diff --git a/vars/distro_install.yml b/vars/distro_install.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d03dfa4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/distro_install.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2018, Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+#
+# Compile a list of the distro packages to install based on
+# whether the host is in the host group and the service is
+# enabled.
+#
+tempest_package_list: "{{ tempest_distro_packages + tempest_service_distro_packages }}"
diff --git a/vars/redhat-7.yml b/vars/redhat-7.yml
index 33b3b7c8..88ebed8d 100644
--- a/vars/redhat-7.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat-7.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 # Copyright 2016, Rackspace US, Inc.
+# Copyright 2018, Red Hat, Inc.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -15,3 +16,11 @@
 
 tempest_distro_packages:
   - git
+
+tempest_service_distro_packages:
+  - openstack-tempest
+  - python-tempestconf
+  - python-subunit
+  - python-keystone-tests-tempest
+  - python-sahara-tests-tempest
+  - subunit-filters
diff --git a/vars/source_install.yml b/vars/source_install.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2fda1038
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/source_install.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2018, Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# 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.
+
+#
+# Compile a list of the distro packages to install based on
+# whether the host is in the host group and the service is
+# enabled.
+#
+tempest_package_list: "{{ tempest_distro_packages }}"
diff --git a/vars/suse.yml b/vars/suse.yml
index 49d5230d..189eaa18 100644
--- a/vars/suse.yml
+++ b/vars/suse.yml
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@
 
 tempest_distro_packages:
   - git-core
+
+tempest_service_distro_packages:
+  - openstack-tempest
+  - "{{ (ansible_distribution_version is version ('42', '>=')) | ternary('python-python-subunit', 'python2-python-subunit') }}"
+  - "{{ (ansible_distribution_version is version ('42', '>=')) | ternary('python-os-testr', 'python2-os-testr') }}"
+  - python-junitxml
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu.yml b/vars/ubuntu.yml
index 470d2fdf..3361588e 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu.yml
@@ -18,3 +18,7 @@ cache_timeout: 600
 
 tempest_distro_packages:
   - git-core
+
+tempest_service_distro_packages:
+  - openstack-tempest
+  - python-subunit
diff --git a/zuul.d/project.yaml b/zuul.d/project.yaml
index e4b83578..12a420c8 100644
--- a/zuul.d/project.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/project.yaml
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@
       - check-requirements
       - publish-openstack-docs-pti
       - release-notes-jobs-python3
+      - openstack-ansible-role-distro_install-jobs