diff --git a/config_tempest/clients.py b/config_tempest/clients.py
index 38e27be4..e7f45812 100644
--- a/config_tempest/clients.py
+++ b/config_tempest/clients.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ class ClientManager(object):
         # Set admin tenant id needed for keystone v3 tests.
         if creds.admin:
             tenant = self.tenants.get_project_by_name(creds.tenant_name)
-            conf.set('identity', 'admin_tenant_id', tenant['id'])
+            conf.set('identity', 'admin_project_id', tenant['id'])
 
     def _get_default_params(self, conf):
         default_params = {
diff --git a/config_tempest/constants.py b/config_tempest/constants.py
index d0abae47..28a29897 100644
--- a/config_tempest/constants.py
+++ b/config_tempest/constants.py
@@ -38,13 +38,13 @@ ALL_CREDENTIALS_KEYS = {
     "auth.admin_domain_name": [],
     "identity.username": [],
     "identity.password": [],
-    "identity.tenant_name": [],
+    "identity.project_name": [],
     "identity.alt_username": [],
     "identity.alt_password": [],
-    "identity.alt_tenant_name": [],
+    "identity.alt_project_name": [],
     "identity.admin_username": [],
     "identity.admin_password": [],
-    "identity.admin_tenant_name": [],
+    "identity.admin_project_name": [],
     "identity.admin_domain_name": [],
 }
 
diff --git a/config_tempest/credentials.py b/config_tempest/credentials.py
index 3da32cc9..a592313e 100644
--- a/config_tempest/credentials.py
+++ b/config_tempest/credentials.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class Credentials(object):
         self._conf = conf
         self.username = self.get_credential('username')
         self.password = self.get_credential('password')
-        self.tenant_name = self.get_credential('tenant_name')
+        self.tenant_name = self.get_credential('project_name')
         self.identity_version = self._get_identity_version()
         self.api_version = 3 if self.identity_version == "v3" else 2
         self.identity_region = self._conf.get_defaulted('identity', 'region')
@@ -61,17 +61,13 @@ class Credentials(object):
 
         The function is providing the backwards compatibility for looking up
         the credentials, because admin credentials were moved from identity
-        to auth section and admin_tenant_name was renamed to
-        admin_project_name.
+        to auth section.
         :param key: name of the credential e.g. username, passsword ...
         :type key: string
         :returns: credential
         :rtype: string
         """
-        if key == 'admin_tenant_name':
-            value = self._conf.get_defaulted('auth', 'admin_project_name')
-        else:
-            value = self._conf.get_defaulted('auth', key)
+        value = self._conf.get_defaulted('auth', key)
         if value is None:
             return self._conf.get_defaulted('identity', key)
         return value
@@ -103,7 +99,7 @@ class Credentials(object):
                                  'domain_name': 'Default',
                                  'user_domain_name': 'Default'})
         else:
-            creds_kwargs.update({'tenant_name': self.tenant_name})
+            creds_kwargs.update({'project_name': self.tenant_name})
         return creds_kwargs
 
     def set_credentials(self):
diff --git a/config_tempest/main.py b/config_tempest/main.py
index a406fbe6..ab4b37d7 100755
--- a/config_tempest/main.py
+++ b/config_tempest/main.py
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ def load_basic_defaults(conf):
         "identity": [
             ("username", "demo"),
             ("password", "secrete"),
-            ("tenant_name", "demo"),
+            ("project_name", "demo"),
             ("alt_username", "alt_demo"),
             ("alt_password", "secrete"),
-            ("alt_tenant_name", "alt_demo")
+            ("alt_project_name", "alt_demo")
         ],
         "scenario": [
             ("img_dir", "etc")
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def set_options(conf, deployer_input, non_admin, overrides=[],
         conf.set("identity", "admin_username", "")
         # To maintain backward compatibility
         # renamed as admin_project_name in auth section
-        conf.set("identity", "admin_tenant_name", "")
+        conf.set("identity", "admin_project_name", "")
         # To maintain backward compatibility
         # Moved to auth
         conf.set("identity", "admin_password", "")
@@ -327,13 +327,13 @@ def set_cloud_config_values(non_admin, cloud_creds, conf):
         if non_admin:
             conf.set('identity', 'username', cloud_creds['username'])
             conf.set('identity',
-                     'tenant_name',
+                     'project_name',
                      cloud_creds['project_name'])
             conf.set('identity', 'password', cloud_creds['password'])
         else:
             conf.set('identity', 'admin_username', cloud_creds['username'])
             conf.set('identity',
-                     'admin_tenant_name',
+                     'admin_project_name',
                      cloud_creds['project_name'])
             conf.set('identity', 'admin_password', cloud_creds['password'])
         conf.set('identity', 'uri', cloud_creds['auth_url'])
diff --git a/config_tempest/tests/base.py b/config_tempest/tests/base.py
index 5a1079b7..23d44f5c 100644
--- a/config_tempest/tests/base.py
+++ b/config_tempest/tests/base.py
@@ -35,13 +35,13 @@ class BaseConfigTempestTest(base.BaseTestCase):
         uri = "http://172.16.52.151:5000/"
         conf.set("identity", "username", "demo")
         conf.set("identity", "password", "secret")
-        conf.set("identity", "tenant_name", "demo")
+        conf.set("identity", "project_name", "demo")
         conf.set("identity", "disable_ssl_certificate_validation", "true")
         conf.set("identity", "auth_version", "v3")
         conf.set("identity", "uri", uri + V2, priority=True)
         conf.set("identity", "uri_v3", uri + V3)
         conf.set("identity", "admin_username", "admin")
-        conf.set("identity", "admin_tenant_name", "adminTenant")
+        conf.set("identity", "admin_project_name", "adminTenant")
         conf.set("identity", "admin_password", "adminPass")
         conf.set("auth", "use_dynamic_credentials", "False")
         return conf
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class BaseConfigTempestTest(base.BaseTestCase):
         uri = "http://172.16.52.151:5000/"
         conf.set("identity", "username", "demo")
         conf.set("identity", "password", "secret")
-        conf.set("identity", "tenant_name", "demo")
+        conf.set("identity", "project_name", "demo")
         conf.set("identity", "disable_ssl_certificate_validation", "true")
         conf.set("identity", "auth_version", "v3")
         conf.set("identity", "uri", uri + V2, priority=True)
diff --git a/config_tempest/tests/test_clients.py b/config_tempest/tests/test_clients.py
index c13a6857..f3c9cc09 100644
--- a/config_tempest/tests/test_clients.py
+++ b/config_tempest/tests/test_clients.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class TestClientManager(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         self.useFixture(MonkeyPatch(func2mock, mock_function))
         ClientManager(self.conf, self.creds)
         # check if admin tenant id was set
-        admin_tenant_id = self.conf.get("identity", "admin_tenant_id")
+        admin_tenant_id = self.conf.get("identity", "admin_project_id")
         self.assertEqual(admin_tenant_id, "my_fake_id")
 
     def test_get_service_client(self):
diff --git a/config_tempest/tests/test_config_tempest.py b/config_tempest/tests/test_config_tempest.py
index accf3a81..7ff5381a 100644
--- a/config_tempest/tests/test_config_tempest.py
+++ b/config_tempest/tests/test_config_tempest.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class TestOsClientConfigSupport(BaseConfigTempestTest):
     def _check_credentials(self, manager, username, password, tenant_name):
         exp_user = manager.auth_provider.credentials._initial['username']
         exp_pass = manager.auth_provider.credentials._initial['password']
-        exp_tenant = manager.auth_provider.credentials._initial['tenant_name']
+        exp_tenant = manager.auth_provider.credentials._initial['project_name']
         self.assertEqual(exp_user, username)
         self.assertEqual(exp_pass, password)
         self.assertEqual(exp_tenant, tenant_name)
@@ -75,14 +75,14 @@ class TestOsClientConfigSupport(BaseConfigTempestTest):
             self.assertEqual(cloud_args['password'],
                              conf.get('identity', 'password'))
             self.assertEqual(cloud_args['project_name'],
-                             conf.get('identity', 'tenant_name'))
+                             conf.get('identity', 'project_name'))
         else:
             self.assertEqual(cloud_args['username'],
                              conf.get('identity', 'admin_username'))
             self.assertEqual(cloud_args['password'],
                              conf.get('identity', 'admin_password'))
             self.assertEqual(cloud_args['project_name'],
-                             conf.get('identity', 'admin_tenant_name'))
+                             conf.get('identity', 'admin_project_name'))
 
     def test_init_manager_client_config(self):
         self._obtain_client_config_data(True)
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class TestOsClientConfigSupport(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         self._check_credentials(manager,
                                 self.conf.get('identity', 'username'),
                                 self.conf.get('identity', 'password'),
-                                self.conf.get('identity', 'tenant_name'))
+                                self.conf.get('identity', 'project_name'))
 
     def test_init_manager_client_config_override(self):
         self._override_setup()
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class TestOsClientConfigSupport(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         self._check_credentials(manager,
                                 self.conf.get('identity', 'username'),
                                 self.conf.get('identity', 'password'),
-                                self.conf.get('identity', 'tenant_name'))
+                                self.conf.get('identity', 'project_name'))
 
     def test_init_manager_client_config_admin_override(self):
         self._override_setup()
@@ -119,4 +119,5 @@ class TestOsClientConfigSupport(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         self._check_credentials(manager,
                                 self.conf.get('identity', 'admin_username'),
                                 self.conf.get('identity', 'admin_password'),
-                                self.conf.get('identity', 'admin_tenant_name'))
+                                self.conf.get('identity',
+                                              'admin_project_name'))
diff --git a/config_tempest/tests/test_credentials.py b/config_tempest/tests/test_credentials.py
index 962efe65..5b15eb9f 100644
--- a/config_tempest/tests/test_credentials.py
+++ b/config_tempest/tests/test_credentials.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class TestCredentials(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         expected_resp = {
             'username': 'demo',
             'password': 'secret',
-            'tenant_name': 'demo'
+            'project_name': 'demo'
         }
         self.assertEqual(self.creds._get_creds_kwargs(), expected_resp)
         self.creds.identity_version = 'v3'
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class TestCredentials(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         mock_function.assert_called_with(
             auth_url=None, fill_in=False, identity_version='v2',
             disable_ssl_certificate_validation='true',
-            ca_certs=None, password='pass', tenant_name='Tname',
+            ca_certs=None, password='pass', project_name='Tname',
             username='name')
 
     def test_set_credentials_v3(self):
diff --git a/config_tempest/tests/test_tempest_conf.py b/config_tempest/tests/test_tempest_conf.py
index 3f7b97dc..a2c79104 100644
--- a/config_tempest/tests/test_tempest_conf.py
+++ b/config_tempest/tests/test_tempest_conf.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class TestTempestConf(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         remove_exts = ["router", "project-id", "dvr"]
         remove = {
             "identity.username": ["demo"],
-            "identity.tenant_name": ["tenant"],
+            "identity.project_name": ["tenant"],
             "compute.image_ssh_user": ["rhel", "cirros"],
             "network-feature-enabled.api_extensions": remove_exts
         }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class TestTempestConf(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         self.conf.set("network-feature-enabled", "api_extensions", api_exts)
         self.conf.remove_values(remove)
         self.assertFalse(self.conf.has_option("identity", "username"))
-        self.assertTrue(self.conf.has_option("identity", "tenant_name"))
+        self.assertTrue(self.conf.has_option("identity", "project_name"))
         self.assertFalse(self.conf.has_option("compute", "image_ssh_user"))
         conf_exts = self.conf.get("network-feature-enabled", "api_extensions")
         conf_exts = conf_exts.split(',')
diff --git a/config_tempest/tests/test_users.py b/config_tempest/tests/test_users.py
index 9a2b74d4..1f41256d 100644
--- a/config_tempest/tests/test_users.py
+++ b/config_tempest/tests/test_users.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class TestUsers(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         alt_tenant_name = "my_tenant"
         self.conf.set("identity", "alt_username", alt_username)
         self.conf.set("identity", "alt_password", alt_password)
-        self.conf.set("identity", "alt_tenant_name", alt_tenant_name)
+        self.conf.set("identity", "alt_project_name", alt_tenant_name)
         self.Service.create_tempest_users(orchestration)
         if orchestration:
             self.assertEqual(mock_give_role_to_user.mock_calls, [
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ class TestUsers(BaseConfigTempestTest):
         self.assertEqual(mock_create_user_with_tenant.mock_calls, [
             mock.call(self.conf.get('identity', 'username'),
                       self.conf.get('identity', 'password'),
-                      self.conf.get('identity', 'tenant_name')),
+                      self.conf.get('identity', 'project_name')),
             mock.call(self.conf.get('identity', 'alt_username'),
                       self.conf.get('identity', 'alt_password'),
-                      self.conf.get('identity', 'alt_tenant_name')),
+                      self.conf.get('identity', 'alt_project_name')),
         ])
 
     def test_create_tempest_user(self):
@@ -206,14 +206,14 @@ class TestUsers(BaseConfigTempestTest):
                                mock_get_project_by_name):
 
         mock_get_project_by_name.return_value = \
-            {'id': "fake_tenant_id"}
+            {'id': "fake_project_id"}
         mock_list_users.return_value = self.users
         mock_list_roles.return_value = self.roles
         self.Service.give_role_to_user(
             username=self.username,
             role_name=self.role_name)
         mock_create_user_role_on_project.assert_called_with(
-            "fake_tenant_id", "fake_user_id", "fake_role_id")
+            "fake_project_id", "fake_user_id", "fake_role_id")
 
     @mock.patch('config_tempest.clients.ProjectsClient.'
                 'get_project_by_name')
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ class TestUsers(BaseConfigTempestTest):
             mock_get_project_by_name):
         role_name = "fake_role_that_does_not_exist"
         mock_get_project_by_name.return_value = \
-            {'id': "fake_tenant_id"}
+            {'id': "fake_project_id"}
         mock_list_users.return_value = self.users
         mock_list_roles.return_value = self.roles
         exc = Exception
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ class TestUsers(BaseConfigTempestTest):
             mock_get_project_by_name):
 
         mock_get_project_by_name.return_value = \
-            {'id': "fake_tenant_id"}
+            {'id': "fake_project_id"}
         mock_list_users.return_value = self.users
         mock_list_roles.return_value = self.roles
         self.Service.give_role_to_user(
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ class TestUsers(BaseConfigTempestTest):
             mock_get_project_by_name):
         exc = exceptions.Conflict
         mock_create_user_role_on_project.side_effect = exc
-        mock_get_project_by_name.return_value = {'id': "fake_tenant_id"}
+        mock_get_project_by_name.return_value = {'id': "fake_project_id"}
         mock_list_users.return_value = self.users
         mock_list_roles.return_value = self.roles
         self.Service.give_role_to_user(
diff --git a/config_tempest/users.py b/config_tempest/users.py
index cd4969c6..5e88938f 100644
--- a/config_tempest/users.py
+++ b/config_tempest/users.py
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ class Users(object):
         sec = 'identity'
         self.create_user_with_tenant(self._conf.get(sec, 'username'),
                                      self._conf.get(sec, 'password'),
-                                     self._conf.get(sec, 'tenant_name'))
+                                     self._conf.get(sec, 'project_name'))
 
         self.create_user_with_tenant(self._conf.get(sec, 'alt_username'),
                                      self._conf.get(sec, 'alt_password'),
-                                     self._conf.get(sec, 'alt_tenant_name'))
+                                     self._conf.get(sec, 'alt_project_name'))
 
         username = self._conf.get_defaulted('auth', 'admin_username')
         if username is None:
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class Users(object):
         :type role_name: string
         :type role_required: boolean
         """
-        tenant_name = self._conf.get('identity', 'tenant_name')
+        tenant_name = self._conf.get('identity', 'project_name')
         tenant_id = self.tenants_client.get_project_by_name(tenant_name)['id']
         users = self.users_client.list_users()
         user_ids = [u['id'] for u in users['users'] if u['name'] == username]
diff --git a/etc/default-overrides.conf b/etc/default-overrides.conf
index 599728c0..7804a69e 100644
--- a/etc/default-overrides.conf
+++ b/etc/default-overrides.conf
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ admin_domain_name=Default
 username=demo
 
 # Tenant name to use for Nova API requests. (string value)
-tenant_name=demo
+project_name=demo
 
 # API key to use when authenticating. (string value)
 password=secrete
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ alt_username=alt_demo
 
 # Alternate user's Tenant name to use for Nova API requests.
 # (string value)
-alt_tenant_name=alt_demo
+alt_project_name=alt_demo
 
 # API key to use when authenticating as alternate user.
 # (string value)
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ admin_username=admin
 # (string value)
 # Parameter moved to auth section as admin_project_name. Would
 # be deprecated in future releases
-admin_tenant_name=admin
+admin_project_name=admin
 
 admin_domain_name=Default
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/replace-tenant-by-project,-part-1-638068c6c5c5ef9c.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/replace-tenant-by-project,-part-1-638068c6c5c5ef9c.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e3673fa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/replace-tenant-by-project,-part-1-638068c6c5c5ef9c.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+other:
+  - |
+    Use of 'tenant' wherever it's set to tempest.conf, is replaced
+    by 'project'. This is part 1 of the tenant->project transition.