diff --git a/playbooks/roles/gerrit/defaults/main.yaml b/playbooks/roles/gerrit/defaults/main.yaml
index fd0765d637..8e5bbc1f69 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/gerrit/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/gerrit/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ gerrit_id: 3000
 gerrit_user_name: gerrit2
 gerrit_home_dir: /home/gerrit2
 gerrit_site_dir: "{{ gerrit_home_dir }}/review_site"
+gerrit_run_compose_up: false
 gerrit_run_init: false
 gerrit_container_image: docker.io/opendevorg/gerrit:2.13
 gerrit_container_volumes:
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/main.yaml b/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/main.yaml
index e33c0da916..7966031402 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -272,19 +272,5 @@
       - docker-compose
     state: present
 
-# TODO(mordred) Make this suck less, like if we could do an init container
-# or something just generally less gross.
-- name: Run gerrit init
-  when: gerrit_run_init | bool
-  command: >
-    docker run --rm --net=host -u gerrit
-    {% for volume in gerrit_container_volumes %}
-    -v {{ volume }}
-    {% endfor %}
-    {{ gerrit_container_image }}
-    /usr/local/openjdk-8/bin/java -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init -d /var/gerrit -b --no-auto-start --install-all-plugins
-
-- name: Run docker-compose up
-  shell:
-    cmd: docker-compose up -d
-    chdir: /etc/gerrit-compose/
+- name: Start gerrit
+  include_tasks: start.yaml
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/start.yaml b/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/start.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..806be27efe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/gerrit/tasks/start.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# TODO(mordred) Make this suck less, like if we could do an init container
+# or something just generally less gross.
+- name: Run gerrit init
+  when: gerrit_run_init | bool
+  command: >
+    docker run --rm --net=host -u gerrit
+    {% for volume in gerrit_container_volumes %}
+    -v {{ volume }}
+    {% endfor %}
+    {{ gerrit_container_image }}
+    /usr/local/openjdk-8/bin/java -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init -d /var/gerrit -b --no-auto-start --install-all-plugins
+
+- name: Run docker-compose up
+  shell:
+    cmd: docker-compose up -d
+    chdir: /etc/gerrit-compose/
+  when: gerrit_run_compose_up | bool
diff --git a/playbooks/start-review.yaml b/playbooks/start-review.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..23141e4b68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/start-review.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+- hosts: review
+  name: "start gerrit"
+  tasks:
+    - include_role:
+        name: gerrit
+        vars:
+          gerrit_run_init: true
+          gerrit_run_compose_up: true
+        tasks_from: start
diff --git a/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review-dev.yaml.j2 b/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review-dev.yaml.j2
index b72bb84517..4cc3d8e338 100644
--- a/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review-dev.yaml.j2
+++ b/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review-dev.yaml.j2
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ gerrit_dev_replication_ssh_rsa_key_contents: |
   -----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
 gerrit_dev_replication_ssh_rsa_pubkey_contents: ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQDgmL6EBuMLoOyf6c56XmVKmZSzZoWaXniuJHvawj97eEs3vtBIJRNMI1lGP4BlnpGeKM10IJxMZmsUo52leytrr+9hW7e4Wjao/T3CsS6JiEdLThweEZWiTGTlULeJDqgnvC6tUoxw6zUbG50t5wtLzJW9WFdaNaysWJODVVEIfFwYe/irmso0TGfW5U76NEGCnTd03Wd9GaudMnIvOKDPeq8H4VgfC70WixNPXe6JR7Ca5w4hj/GUrEnenGFLZgOk6Gu68CuKvyIh4kmy+gJQlwTLSry9WWbYZmsp1pyJU6NdTb4829sJYydx0/bjpWZ+JrXCFN2peczeGQW4hjEd gerrit-code-review-dev-replication
 gerrit_database_type: h2
+gerrit_run_compose_up: true
 gerrit_run_init: true
 gerrit_dev_storyboard_token: 4020000c-d1b9-4173-ab33-2f55dbc1c718
 gerrit_dev_email_private_key: xxj2lTapostsobbxvpawhjhnzufaGxchrypoddcafqarrq5h
diff --git a/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review.yaml.j2 b/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review.yaml.j2
index 57591df932..afdcd151d6 100644
--- a/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review.yaml.j2
+++ b/playbooks/zuul/templates/group_vars/review.yaml.j2
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ gerrit_replication_ssh_rsa_key_contents: |
   -----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
 gerrit_replication_ssh_rsa_pubkey_contents: ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQDQhZQ0z+RVPmOzY2f56N9/PrqDeHftvnagPJyOOXnCd/9N0j+stFWNmavvb8y4dRZ+y6lOJpzPYEahwUUXZHAanz5l5as+VihWq7ldcMxSPnmkC9zr65Z8eNDcM2Bzk8gx5e4DE6OgpWkc6ke9MpwI5dmfW7o53gQZkdSc94TuLr+ZCYUKo7fScsVeE+F9dT0PLyW0zU7c23PzYnkKcrB9ihpQfSfbJj9EAtsA3aA8ZdHt78i5r7+0u0JZxaWoKjkCfYqC8ofbTU61YuUO8TTgNgMC6ZzBmTRdRRRKdGun+m1fqtgIqPSi+iZpKnERgg/hPwY+gqcKh+svW6pgCDhJ gerrit-code-review-replication
 gerrit_database_type: h2
+gerrit_run_compose_up: true
 gerrit_run_init: true
 gerrit_storyboard_token: 52514e74-4b8f-4d6d-a29a-a6262f97578a
 gerrit_email_private_key: wjpkxebohgbid6rpuwpfrYsouxpgseluqir6yupppBczoezj