diff --git a/playbooks/roles/install-ansible/files/disable-ansible b/playbooks/roles/install-ansible/files/disable-ansible
index 494c9df21f..b60610ca83 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/install-ansible/files/disable-ansible
+++ b/playbooks/roles/install-ansible/files/disable-ansible
@@ -3,4 +3,18 @@
 # This is a simple script but ensures we don't mis-type the
 # file name.
 
-touch /home/zuul/DISABLE-ANSIBLE
+DISABLE_FILE=/home/zuul/DISABLE-ANSIBLE
+
+if [[ "$#" -lt 1 ]]; then
+    echo "Usage: disable-ansible COMMENT"
+    echo
+    echo "Please supply a comment to be placed in the disable file for the benefit"
+    echo "of other admins.  Include your name.  Don't forget to #status log."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+date -Iseconds >> $DISABLE_FILE
+echo "$*" >> $DISABLE_FILE
+
+echo "Current value of DISABLE-ANSIBLE":
+cat $DISABLE_FILE