diff --git a/doc/source/ref/run_tests.rst b/doc/source/ref/run_tests.rst
index 6cff42b1b7..a8e731ea80 100644
--- a/doc/source/ref/run_tests.rst
+++ b/doc/source/ref/run_tests.rst
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ Panels
 
 To create a new panel, run the following::
 
-    ./run_tests -m startpanel <panel_name> --dashboard=<dashboard_path>
+    ./run_tests -m startpanel <panel_name>
 
 This will create a directory with the given panel name, and ``panel.py``
 module with the basic panel code filled in, and various other common
@@ -125,8 +125,10 @@ module with the basic panel code filled in, and various other common
 
 Available options:
 
-* ``-d``, ``--dashboard``: The dotted python path to your dashboard app (the module
-  which containers the ``dashboard.py`` file.).
+* ``-d``, ``--dashboard``: The dotted python path to your dashboard app (the
+  module which containers the ``dashboard.py`` file.). If not specified, the
+  target dashboard should be specified in a pluggable settings file for the
+  panel.
 * ``--target``: the directory in which the panel files should be created.
   If the value is ``auto`` the panel will be created as a new directory inside
   the dashboard module's directory structure. Default: A new directory within
diff --git a/horizon/conf/panel_template/models.py b/horizon/conf/panel_template/models.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 1b3d5f9efc..0000000000
--- a/horizon/conf/panel_template/models.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Stub file to work around django bug: https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/7198
-"""
diff --git a/horizon/conf/panel_template/panel.py.tmpl b/horizon/conf/panel_template/panel.py.tmpl
index 4364438e21..949ac09690 100644
--- a/horizon/conf/panel_template/panel.py.tmpl
+++ b/horizon/conf/panel_template/panel.py.tmpl
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
 import horizon
-
-from {{ dash_path }} import dashboard
-
+{% if dashboard %}from {{ dash_path }} import dashboard{% endif %}
 
 class {{ panel_name|title }}(horizon.Panel):
     name = _("{{ panel_name|title }}")
     slug = "{{ panel_name|slugify }}"
+{% if dashboard %}
 
-
-dashboard.{{ dash_name|title }}.register({{ panel_name|title }})
+dashboard.{{ dash_name|title }}.register({{ panel_name|title }}){% endif %}
diff --git a/horizon/conf/panel_template/templates/panel_name/index.html b/horizon/conf/panel_template/templates/panel_name/index.html
index e4aa591d23..97a0d57be4 100644
--- a/horizon/conf/panel_template/templates/panel_name/index.html
+++ b/horizon/conf/panel_template/templates/panel_name/index.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   [% include "horizon/common/_page_header.html" with title=_("{{ panel_name|title }}") %]
 [% endblock page_header %]
 
-[% block {{ dash_name }}_main %]
+[% block main %]
 [% endblock %]
 
 {% endjstemplate %}
diff --git a/horizon/management/commands/startpanel.py b/horizon/management/commands/startpanel.py
index a35f02fba5..855fe33054 100644
--- a/horizon/management/commands/startpanel.py
+++ b/horizon/management/commands/startpanel.py
@@ -50,25 +50,21 @@ class Command(TemplateCommand):
         if panel_name is None:
             raise CommandError("You must provide a panel name.")
 
-        if options.get('dashboard') is None:
-            raise CommandError("You must specify the name of the dashboard "
-                               "this panel will be registered with using the "
-                               "-d or --dashboard option.")
-
-        dashboard_path = options.get('dashboard')
-        dashboard_mod_path = ".".join([dashboard_path, "dashboard"])
+        if options.get('dashboard'):
+            dashboard_path = options.get('dashboard')
+            dashboard_mod_path = ".".join([dashboard_path, "dashboard"])
 
         # Check the dashboard.py file in the dashboard app can be imported.
         # Add the dashboard information to our options to pass along if all
         # goes well.
-        try:
-            dashboard_mod = import_module(dashboard_mod_path)
-            options["dash_path"] = dashboard_path
-            options["dash_name"] = dashboard_path.split(".")[-1]
-        except ImportError:
-            raise CommandError("A dashboard.py module could not be imported "
-                               " from the dashboard at %r."
-                               % options.get("dashboard"))
+            try:
+                dashboard_mod = import_module(dashboard_mod_path)
+                options["dash_path"] = dashboard_path
+                options["dash_name"] = dashboard_path.split(".")[-1]
+            except ImportError:
+                raise CommandError("A dashboard.py module could not be "
+                                   "imported from the dashboard at %r."
+                                   % options.get("dashboard"))
 
         target = options.pop("target", None)
         if target == "auto":