diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
index 669d00fe..bc3f2157 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 Release notes
 =============
 
+0.18.1
+------
+* Fix ``doc-tools-check-languages`` to handle all repositories and
+  setups.
+
 0.18
 ----
 
diff --git a/bin/doc-tools-check-languages b/bin/doc-tools-check-languages
index 93335073..7cf4e09d 100755
--- a/bin/doc-tools-check-languages
+++ b/bin/doc-tools-check-languages
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function setup_directories {
     language=$1
     for directory in ${DIRECTORIES["$language"]} ; do
         echo "   $directory"
-        openstack-generate-docbook -l $language -b $directory
+        openstack-generate-docbook -l $language -b $directory -r $DOC_DIR
     done
 }
 
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ function setup_language {
     echo "======================="
     echo "  Directories:"
     setup_directories $language
-    cp doc/pom.xml generated/$language/pom.xml
+    if [ -n "$POM_FILE" ] ; then
+        cp $POM_FILE generated/$language/pom.xml
+    fi
 }
 
 
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ function test_language {
         args+=("--publish")
     fi
     args+=("--check-build" "-l $language")
-    for book in "${BOOKS["$language"]}"; do
+    for book in ${BOOKS["$language"]}; do
         args+=("--only-book $book")
     done
 
@@ -90,7 +92,8 @@ fi
 source $CONF_FILE
 
 if [[ -z $(declare -p BOOKS 2> /dev/null | grep 'declare -A BOOKS') || \
-      -z $(declare -p DIRECTORIES 2> /dev/null | grep 'declare -A DIRECTORIES') ]]; then
+      -z $(declare -p DIRECTORIES 2> /dev/null | grep 'declare -A DIRECTORIES') || \
+    -z $DOC_DIR ]]; then
     echo "Error: the configuration file '$CONF_FILE' is invalid"
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/bin/doc-tools-check-languages.conf b/bin/doc-tools-check-languages.conf
index b7501149..1b91ac4e 100644
--- a/bin/doc-tools-check-languages.conf
+++ b/bin/doc-tools-check-languages.conf
@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
 # Example configuration for the languages 'ja' and 'fr'.
 
-# directories to be set up
+# Directories to set up
 declare -A DIRECTORIES=(
     ["ja"]="common glossary high-availability-guide image-guide install-guide user-guide user-guide-admin"
     ["fr"]="common glossary user-guide"
 )
 
-# books to be built
+# Books to build
 declare -A BOOKS=(
     ["ja"]="high-availability-guide image-guide install-guide user-guide user-guide-admin"
     ["fr"]="user-guide"
 )
+
+# Where does the top-level pom live?
+# Set to empty to not copy it.
+POM_FILE=doc/pom.xml
+
+# Location of doc dir
+DOC_DIR="doc/"