diff --git a/Strainerfile b/Strainerfile
index 6c4f15e..bc1e0bb 100644
--- a/Strainerfile
+++ b/Strainerfile
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 # Strainerfile
-rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/Gemfile
-rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/attributes/
-rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/metadata.rb
-rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/recipes/
+rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/Gemfile --config $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/.rubocop.yml
+rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/metadata.rb --config $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/.rubocop.yml
+rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/attributes/ --config $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/attributes/.rubocop.yml
+rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/recipes/ --config $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/recipes/.rubocop.yml
+rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/spec/ --config $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK/spec/.rubocop.yml
 # rubocop: bundle exec rubocop $SANDBOX/$COOKBOOK
 # may want to add rubocop check for Berksfile and Gemfile
 knife test: bundle exec knife cookbook test $COOKBOOK
diff --git a/TESTING.md b/TESTING.md
index 03f1744..f4d5119 100644
--- a/TESTING.md
+++ b/TESTING.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Since there are slight style differences between the coding of attributes, recip
    [Gemfile and metadata.rb](.rubocop.yml)
    [attributes/*.rb](attributes/.rubocop.yml)
    [recipes/.rubocop.yml](recipes/.rubocop.yml)
+   [spec/.rubocop.yml](spec/.rubocop.yml)
 
 ## Knife ##
 
diff --git a/spec/.rubocop-todo.yml b/spec/.rubocop-todo.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6ad301
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/.rubocop-todo.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# This configuration was generated by `rubocop --auto-gen-config`.
+# The point is for the user to remove these configuration records
+# one by one as the offences are removed from the code base.
+
+HashSyntax:
+  Enabled: false
+
+MethodLength:
+  Enabled: false
+
+StringLiterals:
+  Enabled: false
+
+### in the .rubocop.yml
+# embedded attributes make for long lines
+LineLength:
+  Enabled: false
diff --git a/spec/.rubocop.yml b/spec/.rubocop.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..446ebc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/.rubocop.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# embedded attributes make for long lines
+LineLength:
+  Enabled: false
diff --git a/spec/api-opensuse_spec.rb b/spec/api-opensuse_spec.rb
index ac3f8cd..daa81c3 100644
--- a/spec/api-opensuse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/api-opensuse_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::api" do
diff --git a/spec/api-redhat_spec.rb b/spec/api-redhat_spec.rb
index 1b7bbcc..cfc0a5a 100644
--- a/spec/api-redhat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/api-redhat_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::api" do
diff --git a/spec/api_spec.rb b/spec/api_spec.rb
index c8f6d1b..73b7ac2 100644
--- a/spec/api_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/api_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::api" do
diff --git a/spec/cinder_common-opensuse_spec.rb b/spec/cinder_common-opensuse_spec.rb
index f3d2062..9bf16c2 100644
--- a/spec/cinder_common-opensuse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cinder_common-opensuse_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
diff --git a/spec/cinder_common-redhat_spec.rb b/spec/cinder_common-redhat_spec.rb
index 587c201..313945a 100644
--- a/spec/cinder_common-redhat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cinder_common-redhat_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
diff --git a/spec/cinder_common_spec.rb b/spec/cinder_common_spec.rb
index 8ab0b71..29fba99 100644
--- a/spec/cinder_common_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cinder_common_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
@@ -18,7 +22,7 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
 
   describe "/etc/cinder" do
     before do
-     @dir = @chef_run.directory "/etc/cinder"
+      @dir = @chef_run.directory "/etc/cinder"
     end
 
     it "has proper owner" do
@@ -27,13 +31,13 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
     end
 
     it "has proper modes" do
-     expect(sprintf("%o", @dir.mode)).to eq "750"
+      expect(sprintf("%o", @dir.mode)).to eq "750"
     end
   end
 
   describe "cinder.conf" do
     before do
-     @file = @chef_run.template "/etc/cinder/cinder.conf"
+      @file = @chef_run.template "/etc/cinder/cinder.conf"
     end
 
     it "has proper owner" do
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
     end
 
     it "has proper modes" do
-     expect(sprintf("%o", @file.mode)).to eq "644"
+      expect(sprintf("%o", @file.mode)).to eq "644"
     end
 
     it "has rpc_thread_pool_size" do
@@ -189,7 +193,7 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
 
   describe "/var/lock/cinder" do
     before do
-     @dir = @chef_run.directory "/var/lock/cinder"
+      @dir = @chef_run.directory "/var/lock/cinder"
     end
 
     it "has proper owner" do
@@ -198,7 +202,7 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::cinder-common" do
     end
 
     it "has proper modes" do
-     expect(sprintf("%o", @dir.mode)).to eq "700"
+      expect(sprintf("%o", @dir.mode)).to eq "700"
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/default_spec.rb b/spec/default_spec.rb
index 3a77cb4..85d361f 100644
--- a/spec/default_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/default_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::default" do
diff --git a/spec/identity_registration_spec.rb b/spec/identity_registration_spec.rb
index 00523f9..979dacc 100644
--- a/spec/identity_registration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/identity_registration_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::identity_registration" do
diff --git a/spec/scheduler-opensuse_spec.rb b/spec/scheduler-opensuse_spec.rb
index 7025f4d..241002d 100644
--- a/spec/scheduler-opensuse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/scheduler-opensuse_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::scheduler" do
diff --git a/spec/scheduler-redhat_spec.rb b/spec/scheduler-redhat_spec.rb
index d2bde3a..de8889c 100644
--- a/spec/scheduler-redhat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/scheduler-redhat_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::scheduler" do
diff --git a/spec/scheduler_spec.rb b/spec/scheduler_spec.rb
index 9cad23b..93fdba0 100644
--- a/spec/scheduler_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/scheduler_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::scheduler" do
@@ -54,40 +58,40 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::scheduler" do
     end
 
     it "creates cron metering default" do
-      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:search).
-        with(:node, "roles:os-block-storage-scheduler").
-        and_return([OpenStruct.new(:name => "fauxhai.local")])
+      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:search)
+        .with(:node, "roles:os-block-storage-scheduler")
+        .and_return([OpenStruct.new(:name => "fauxhai.local")])
       chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS do |n|
         n.set["openstack"]["metering"] = true
       end
       chef_run.converge "openstack-block-storage::scheduler"
       cron = chef_run.cron "cinder-volume-usage-audit"
-      bin_str="/usr/bin/cinder-volume-usage-audit > /var/log/cinder/audit.log"
+      bin_str = "/usr/bin/cinder-volume-usage-audit > /var/log/cinder/audit.log"
       expect(cron.command).to match(/#{bin_str}/)
-      crontests = [ [:minute, '00'], [:hour, '*'], [:day, '*'],
-                    [:weekday, '*'], [:month, '*'], [:user, 'cinder'] ]
-      crontests.each do |k,v|
+      crontests = [[:minute, '00'], [:hour, '*'], [:day, '*'],
+                   [:weekday, '*'], [:month, '*'], [:user, 'cinder']]
+      crontests.each do |k, v|
         expect(cron.send(k)).to eq v
       end
       expect(cron.action).to include :create
     end
 
     it "creates cron metering custom" do
-      crontests = [ [:minute, '50'], [:hour, '23'], [:day, '6'],
-                    [:weekday, '5'], [:month, '11'], [:user, 'foobar'] ]
-      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:search).
-        with(:node, "roles:os-block-storage-scheduler").
-        and_return([OpenStruct.new(:name => "foobar")])
+      crontests = [[:minute, '50'], [:hour, '23'], [:day, '6'],
+                   [:weekday, '5'], [:month, '11'], [:user, 'foobar']]
+      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:search)
+        .with(:node, "roles:os-block-storage-scheduler")
+        .and_return([OpenStruct.new(:name => "foobar")])
       chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS do |n|
         n.set["openstack"]["metering"] = true
-        crontests.each do |k,v|
+        crontests.each do |k, v|
           n.set["openstack"]["block-storage"]["cron"][k.to_s] = v
         end
         n.set["openstack"]["block-storage"]["user"] = "foobar"
       end
       chef_run.converge "openstack-block-storage::scheduler"
       cron = chef_run.cron "cinder-volume-usage-audit"
-      crontests.each do |k,v|
+      crontests.each do |k, v|
         expect(cron.send(k)).to eq v
       end
       expect(cron.action).to include :delete
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index f60d171..09c7938 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require "chefspec"
 require "chef/application"
 require_relative "support/matcher"
@@ -20,20 +24,20 @@ require_relative "support/matcher"
 }
 
 def block_storage_stubs
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:rabbit_servers).
-    and_return "1.1.1.1:5672,2.2.2.2:5672"
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:secret).
-    with("secrets", "openstack_identity_bootstrap_token").
-    and_return "bootstrap-token"
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:db_password).and_return String.new
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:user_password).and_return String.new
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:user_password).
-    with("guest").
-    and_return "rabbit-pass"
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).and_return String.new
-  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).
-    with("openstack-block-storage").
-    and_return "cinder-pass"
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:rabbit_servers)
+    .and_return "1.1.1.1:5672,2.2.2.2:5672"
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:secret)
+    .with("secrets", "openstack_identity_bootstrap_token")
+    .and_return "bootstrap-token"
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:db_password).and_return ''
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:user_password).and_return ''
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:user_password)
+    .with("guest")
+    .and_return "rabbit-pass"
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).and_return ''
+  ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password)
+    .with("openstack-block-storage")
+    .and_return "cinder-pass"
   ::Chef::Application.stub(:fatal!)
 end
 
@@ -43,7 +47,7 @@ def expect_runs_openstack_common_logging_recipe
   end
 end
 
-def expect_creates_cinder_conf service, user, group, action=:restart
+def expect_creates_cinder_conf(service, user, group, action = :restart)
   describe "cinder.conf" do
     before do
       @file = @chef_run.template "/etc/cinder/cinder.conf"
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ def expect_creates_cinder_conf service, user, group, action=:restart
   end
 end
 
-def expect_creates_policy_json service, user, group, action=:restart
+def expect_creates_policy_json(service, user, group, action = :restart)
   describe "policy.json" do
     before do
       @file = @chef_run.template "/etc/cinder/policy.json"
diff --git a/spec/support/matcher.rb b/spec/support/matcher.rb
index 91025da..4ed781a 100644
--- a/spec/support/matcher.rb
+++ b/spec/support/matcher.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 def upgrade_python_pip(pkgname)
   ChefSpec::Matchers::ResourceMatcher.new(:python_pip, :upgrade, pkgname)
 end
diff --git a/spec/volume-opensuse_spec.rb b/spec/volume-opensuse_spec.rb
index e971866..a08c9cc 100644
--- a/spec/volume-opensuse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/volume-opensuse_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::volume" do
diff --git a/spec/volume-redhat_spec.rb b/spec/volume-redhat_spec.rb
index 2aea295..1187432 100644
--- a/spec/volume-redhat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/volume-redhat_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::volume" do
diff --git a/spec/volume_spec.rb b/spec/volume_spec.rb
index 48a6d6b..e95d46e 100644
--- a/spec/volume_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/volume_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+#
+# Cookbook Name:: openstack-block-storage
+
 require_relative "spec_helper"
 
 describe "openstack-block-storage::volume" do
@@ -60,8 +64,8 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::volume" do
     end
 
     it "configures netapp dfm password" do
-      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).with("netapp").
-        and_return "netapp-pass"
+      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).with("netapp")
+        .and_return "netapp-pass"
       chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS do |n|
         n.set["openstack"]["block-storage"]["volume"]["driver"] = "cinder.volume.drivers.netapp.iscsi.NetAppISCSIDriver"
       end
@@ -72,8 +76,8 @@ describe "openstack-block-storage::volume" do
     end
 
     it "configures rbd password" do
-      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).with("rbd").
-        and_return "rbd-pass"
+      ::Chef::Recipe.any_instance.stub(:service_password).with("rbd")
+        .and_return "rbd-pass"
       chef_run = ::ChefSpec::Runner.new ::UBUNTU_OPTS do |n|
         n.set["openstack"]["block-storage"]["volume"]["driver"] = "cinder.volume.drivers.RBDDriver"
       end