diff --git a/modules.env b/modules.env
index 637022c56f..97bfd0ea8e 100644
--- a/modules.env
+++ b/modules.env
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/puppetlabs/puppetlabs-rabbitmq"]="5.2.3"
 SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/puppetlabs/puppetlabs-stdlib"]="4.17.0"
 SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/rafaelfelix/puppet-pear"]="1.0.3"
 SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/saz/puppet-memcached"]="v2.6.0"
-SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/saz/puppet-timezone"]="v3.3.0"
 SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/stankevich/puppet-python"]="1.9.4"
 SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/theforeman/puppet-dns"]="4.1.0"
 SOURCE_MODULES["https://github.com/vamsee/puppet-solr"]="0.0.8"
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/server.pp b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/server.pp
index 0e6066199d..1cff766ce7 100644
--- a/modules/openstack_project/manifests/server.pp
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/manifests/server.pp
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ class openstack_project::server (
   $pypi_index_url            = 'https://pypi.python.org/simple',
 ) {
 
-  class { 'timezone':
-    timezone => 'Etc/UTC',
-  }
-
   # Include ::apt while we work on the puppet->ansible transition
   if ($::osfamily == 'Debian') {
     include ::apt
diff --git a/playbooks/base.yaml b/playbooks/base.yaml
index 9b18ee9954..dba4d2ffcb 100644
--- a/playbooks/base.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/base.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 - hosts: "!disabled"
   roles:
     - base-server
+    - timezone
 
 - hosts: "puppet:!disabled"
   roles:
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/timezone/README.rst b/playbooks/roles/timezone/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..19b8aaad87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/timezone/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Configures timezone to Etc/UTC and restarts crond when changed.
+
+**Role Variables**
+
+* None
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/timezone/handlers/main.yaml b/playbooks/roles/timezone/handlers/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5ec3801337
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/timezone/handlers/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+- name: restart cron
+  service:
+    name: "{{ cron_service_name }}"
+    state: restarted
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/timezone/tasks/main.yaml b/playbooks/roles/timezone/tasks/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..26bcffbeec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/timezone/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+- name: Include OS-specific variables
+  include_vars: "{{ lookup('first_found', params) }}"
+  vars:
+    params:
+      files: "{{ distro_lookup_path }}"
+      paths:
+        - 'vars'
+
+- name: Set timezone to Etc/UTC
+  timezone:
+    name: Etc/UTC
+  # The timezone Ansible module recommends restarting cron after tz change.
+  notify:
+    - restart cron
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/timezone/vars/Debian.yaml b/playbooks/roles/timezone/vars/Debian.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..983c51a9eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/timezone/vars/Debian.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+cron_service_name: cron
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/timezone/vars/RedHat.yaml b/playbooks/roles/timezone/vars/RedHat.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..533b421b24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/timezone/vars/RedHat.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+cron_service_name: crond