diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 163965bf85..3274bdaf76 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -451,3 +451,5 @@ easy as ``pip install .`` in this repository directory.
 * ``make-dashboard`` produces a CSV file that can be imported into
   Google docs (or any other spreadsheet) for tracking the
   milestone-based projects at the end of the cycle
+* ``init-series`` initializes a new deliverable directory with stub
+  files based on the previous release.
diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/init_series.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/init_series.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c55a03964c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/init_series.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#    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.
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+import argparse
+import os.path
+
+import openstack_releases
+from openstack_releases import deliverable
+
+import yaml
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument(
+        'old_series',
+        help='the previous release series, such as "newton"',
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        'new_series',
+        help='the new release series, such as "ocata"',
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--deliverables-dir',
+        default=openstack_releases.deliverable_dir,
+        help='location of deliverable files',
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    all_deliv = deliverable.Deliverables(
+        root_dir=args.deliverables_dir,
+        collapse_history=False,
+    )
+
+    new_deliverables = set(
+        name
+        for team, series, name, data in
+        all_deliv.get_deliverables(None, args.new_series)
+    )
+
+    outdir = os.path.join(args.deliverables_dir, args.new_series)
+    if not os.path.exists(outdir):
+        print('creating output directory {}'.format(outdir))
+        os.mkdir(outdir)
+
+    old_deliverables = all_deliv.get_deliverables(None, args.old_series)
+    for team, series, name, data in old_deliverables:
+        if name in new_deliverables:
+            continue
+        # Clean up some series-specific data that should not be copied
+        # over.
+        for key in ['releases', 'branches', 'release-notes']:
+            if key in data:
+                del data[key]
+        outfilename = os.path.join(outdir, name + '.yaml')
+        with open(outfilename, 'w') as f:
+            print('{} created'.format(outfilename))
+            f.write('---\n')
+            yaml.dump(data, f, default_flow_style=False)
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 4476366003..d55c0e752c 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ console_scripts =
     check-diff-start = openstack_releases.cmds.check_diff_start:main
     list-deliverables = openstack_releases.cmds.list_deliverables:main
 	make-dashboard = openstack_releases.cmds.dashboard:main
+	init-series = openstack_releases.cmds.init_series:main
 
 [extras]
 sphinxext =