diff --git a/charm-helpers-sync.yaml b/charm-helpers-sync.yaml
index 9b5e79e9..755e5ae1 100644
--- a/charm-helpers-sync.yaml
+++ b/charm-helpers-sync.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-branch: lp:charm-helpers
+branch: lp:~cts-engineering/charm-helpers/neutron-mtu
 destination: hooks/charmhelpers
 include:
     - core
diff --git a/hooks/charmhelpers/contrib/network/ip.py b/hooks/charmhelpers/contrib/network/ip.py
index 98b17544..a84beb3d 100644
--- a/hooks/charmhelpers/contrib/network/ip.py
+++ b/hooks/charmhelpers/contrib/network/ip.py
@@ -23,7 +23,14 @@ from functools import partial
 from charmhelpers.core.hookenv import unit_get
 from charmhelpers.fetch import apt_install
 from charmhelpers.core.hookenv import (
-    log
+    config,
+    log,
+    INFO
+)
+from charmhelpers.core.host import (
+    list_nics,
+    get_nic_mtu,
+    set_nic_mtu
 )
 
 try:
@@ -365,3 +372,26 @@ def is_bridge_member(nic):
             return True
 
     return False
+
+
+def configure_phy_nic_mtu(mng_ip=None):
+    """Configure mtu for physical nic."""
+    phy_nic_mtu = config('phy-nic-mtu')
+    if phy_nic_mtu >= 1500:
+        phy_nic = None
+        if mng_ip is None:
+            mng_ip = unit_get('private-address')
+        for nic in list_nics(['eth', 'bond', 'br']):
+            if mng_ip in get_ipv4_addr(nic, fatal=False):
+                phy_nic = nic
+                # need to find the associated phy nic for bridge
+                if nic.startswith('br'):
+                    for brnic in get_bridge_nics(nic):
+                        if brnic.startswith('eth') or brnic.startswith('bond'):
+                            phy_nic = brnic
+                            break
+                break
+        if phy_nic is not None and phy_nic_mtu != get_nic_mtu(phy_nic):
+            set_nic_mtu(phy_nic, str(phy_nic_mtu), persistence=True)
+            log('set mtu={} for phy_nic={}'
+                .format(phy_nic_mtu, phy_nic), level=INFO)
diff --git a/hooks/charmhelpers/core/host.py b/hooks/charmhelpers/core/host.py
index cf2cbe14..2ec26b0a 100644
--- a/hooks/charmhelpers/core/host.py
+++ b/hooks/charmhelpers/core/host.py
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ def list_nics(nic_type):
         ip_output = (line for line in ip_output if line)
         for line in ip_output:
             if line.split()[1].startswith(int_type):
-                matched = re.search('.*: (bond[0-9]+\.[0-9]+)@.*', line)
+                matched = re.search('.*: (' + int_type + r'[0-9]+\.[0-9]+)@.*', line)
                 if matched:
                     interface = matched.groups()[0]
                 else:
@@ -371,10 +371,40 @@ def list_nics(nic_type):
     return interfaces
 
 
-def set_nic_mtu(nic, mtu):
+def set_nic_mtu(nic, mtu, persistence=False):
     '''Set MTU on a network interface'''
     cmd = ['ip', 'link', 'set', nic, 'mtu', mtu]
     subprocess.check_call(cmd)
+    # persistence mtu configuration
+    if not persistence:
+        return
+    if os.path.exists("/etc/network/interfaces.d/%s.cfg" % nic):
+        nic_cfg_file = "/etc/network/interfaces.d/%s.cfg" % nic
+    else:
+        nic_cfg_file = "/etc/network/interfaces"
+
+    f = open(nic_cfg_file, "r")
+    lines = f.readlines()
+    found = False
+    length = len(lines)
+    for i in range(len(lines)):
+        lines[i] = lines[i].replace('\n', '')
+        if lines[i].startswith("iface %s" % nic):
+            found = True
+            lines.insert(i + 1, "    up ip link set $IFACE mtu %s" % mtu)
+            lines.insert(i + 2, "    down ip link set $IFACE mtu 1500")
+            if length > i + 2 and lines[i + 3].startswith("    up ip link set $IFACE mtu"):
+                del lines[i + 3]
+            if length > i + 2 and lines[i + 3].startswith("    down ip link set $IFACE mtu"):
+                del lines[i + 3]
+            break
+    if not found:
+        lines.insert(length + 1, "")
+        lines.insert(length + 2, "auto %s" % nic)
+        lines.insert(length + 3, "iface %s inet dhcp" % nic)
+        lines.insert(length + 4, "    up ip link set $IFACE mtu %s" % mtu)
+        lines.insert(length + 5, "    down ip link set $IFACE mtu 1500")
+    write_file(path=nic_cfg_file, content="\n".join(lines), perms=0o644)
 
 
 def get_nic_mtu(nic):
diff --git a/hooks/charmhelpers/core/sysctl.py b/hooks/charmhelpers/core/sysctl.py
index d642a371..8e1b9eeb 100644
--- a/hooks/charmhelpers/core/sysctl.py
+++ b/hooks/charmhelpers/core/sysctl.py
@@ -26,25 +26,31 @@ from subprocess import check_call
 from charmhelpers.core.hookenv import (
     log,
     DEBUG,
+    ERROR,
 )
 
 
 def create(sysctl_dict, sysctl_file):
     """Creates a sysctl.conf file from a YAML associative array
 
-    :param sysctl_dict: a dict of sysctl options eg { 'kernel.max_pid': 1337 }
-    :type sysctl_dict: dict
+    :param sysctl_dict: a YAML-formatted string of sysctl options eg "{ 'kernel.max_pid': 1337 }"
+    :type sysctl_dict: str
     :param sysctl_file: path to the sysctl file to be saved
     :type sysctl_file: str or unicode
     :returns: None
     """
-    sysctl_dict = yaml.load(sysctl_dict)
+    try:
+        sysctl_dict_parsed = yaml.safe_load(sysctl_dict)
+    except yaml.YAMLError:
+        log("Error parsing YAML sysctl_dict: {}".format(sysctl_dict),
+            level=ERROR)
+        return
 
     with open(sysctl_file, "w") as fd:
-        for key, value in sysctl_dict.items():
+        for key, value in sysctl_dict_parsed.items():
             fd.write("{}={}\n".format(key, value))
 
-    log("Updating sysctl_file: %s values: %s" % (sysctl_file, sysctl_dict),
+    log("Updating sysctl_file: %s values: %s" % (sysctl_file, sysctl_dict_parsed),
         level=DEBUG)
 
     check_call(["sysctl", "-p", sysctl_file])
diff --git a/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py b/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py
index 7dbf5211..669d3db4 100644
--- a/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py
+++ b/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ def _neutron_api_settings():
         'neutron_security_groups': False,
         'l2_population': True,
         'overlay_network_type': 'gre',
+        'network_device_mtu': 1500,
     }
     for rid in relation_ids('neutron-plugin-api'):
         for unit in related_units(rid):
@@ -36,6 +37,8 @@ def _neutron_api_settings():
                 'l2_population': rdata['l2-population'],
                 'neutron_security_groups': rdata['neutron-security-groups'],
                 'overlay_network_type': rdata['overlay-network-type'],
+                'network_device_mtu': rdata['network-device-mtu']
+                if 'network-device-mtu' in rdata else 1500,
             }
             # Override with configuration if set to true
             if config('disable-security-groups'):
@@ -103,6 +106,8 @@ class OVSPluginContext(context.NeutronContext):
         neutron_api_settings = _neutron_api_settings()
         ovs_ctxt['neutron_security_groups'] = self.neutron_security_groups
         ovs_ctxt['l2_population'] = neutron_api_settings['l2_population']
+        ovs_ctxt['network_device_mtu'] = \
+            neutron_api_settings['network_device_mtu']
         ovs_ctxt['overlay_network_type'] = \
             neutron_api_settings['overlay_network_type']
         # TODO: We need to sort out the syslog and debug/verbose options as a
diff --git a/templates/icehouse/neutron.conf b/templates/icehouse/neutron.conf
index 964f6dce..c7af465a 100644
--- a/templates/icehouse/neutron.conf
+++ b/templates/icehouse/neutron.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# grizzly
+# icehouse
 ###############################################################################
 # [ WARNING ]
 # Configuration file maintained by Juju. Local changes may be overwritten.
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ state_path = /var/lib/neutron
 lock_path = $state_path/lock
 bind_host = 0.0.0.0
 bind_port = 9696
+network_device_mtu = {{ network_device_mtu }}
 
 {% if core_plugin -%}
 core_plugin =  {{ core_plugin }}
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py b/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py
index 3e2ee906..a94b79ee 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class OVSPluginContextTest(CharmTestCase):
         self.relation_ids.return_value = ['rid2']
         self.test_relation.set({'neutron-security-groups': True,
                                 'l2-population': True,
+                                'network-device-mtu': 1500,
                                 'overlay-network-type': 'gre',
                                 })
         self.get_host_ip.return_value = '127.0.0.15'
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ class OVSPluginContextTest(CharmTestCase):
             'neutron_security_groups': True,
             'verbose': True,
             'local_ip': '127.0.0.15',
+            'network_device_mtu': 1500,
             'config': 'neutron.randomconfig',
             'use_syslog': True,
             'network_manager': 'neutron',
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ class OVSPluginContextTest(CharmTestCase):
         self.relation_ids.return_value = ['rid2']
         self.test_relation.set({'neutron-security-groups': True,
                                 'l2-population': True,
+                                'network-device-mtu': 1500,
                                 'overlay-network-type': 'gre',
                                 })
         self.get_host_ip.return_value = '127.0.0.15'
@@ -153,6 +156,7 @@ class OVSPluginContextTest(CharmTestCase):
             'neutron_security_groups': False,
             'verbose': True,
             'local_ip': '127.0.0.15',
+            'network_device_mtu': 1500,
             'config': 'neutron.randomconfig',
             'use_syslog': True,
             'network_manager': 'neutron',