diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
index 33b25b09..7638e058 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
@@ -301,6 +301,11 @@ export DEVSTACK_GATE_CLEAN_LOGS=${DEVSTACK_GATE_CLEAN_LOGS:-1}
 # to run before being aborted (default 60).
 export DEVSTACK_GATE_TIMEOUT=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TIMEOUT:-60}
 
+# Set to 1 to unstack immediately after devstack installation.  This
+# is intended to be a stop-gap until devstack can support
+# dependency-only installation.
+export DEVSTACK_GATE_UNSTACK=${DEVSTACK_GATE_UNSTACK:-0}
+
 # Set this to override the branch selected for testing (in
 # single-branch checkouts; not used for grenade)
 export OVERRIDE_ZUUL_BRANCH=${OVERRIDE_ZUUL_BRANCH:-$ZUUL_BRANCH}
diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate.sh b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
index da429d59..e4904cf8 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
@@ -344,6 +344,10 @@ else
     fi
 fi
 
+if [[ "$DEVSTACK_GATE_UNSTACK" -eq "1" ]]; then
+   sudo -H -u stack ./unstack.sh
+fi
+
 echo "Removing sudo privileges for devstack user"
 sudo rm /etc/sudoers.d/50_stack_sh