diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1726b8d..fd4ffaa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -169,19 +169,9 @@ More information about this tool can be found under the stack-builder directory.
 
 ### install your build server
 
-first, log into your build server, and set it up:
+first, log into your build server, and run the following script to bootstrap it as a puppet master:
 
-    export build_server_ip=X.X.X.X ; bash <(curl -fsS https://raw.github.com/CiscoSystems/openstack-installer/master/install-scripts/setup.sh)
-
-then, install it as a puppet master
-
-    bash /root/openstack-installer/install-scripts/master.sh
-
-download all plugins for your puppetmaster
-
-``
-    puppet plugin download --server `hostname -f`; service apache2 restart
-``
+    export build_server_ip=X.X.X.X ; bash <(curl -fsS https://raw.github.com/CiscoSystems/openstack-installer/master/install-scripts/master.sh)
 
 ### set up your data
 
diff --git a/Vagrantfile b/Vagrantfile
index a313ec8..048af4a 100644
--- a/Vagrantfile
+++ b/Vagrantfile
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ end
 #
 # run puppet apply on the site manifest
 #
-def apply_manifest(config, v_config, manifest_name='site.pp', certname=nil)
+def apply_manifest(config, v_config, manifest_name='site.pp', certname=nil, puppet_type=nil)
 
   options = []
 
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ def apply_manifest(config, v_config, manifest_name='site.pp', certname=nil)
     puppet.facter = {
       "build_server_ip"          => "192.168.242.100",
       "build_server_domain_name" => v_config['domain'],
+      "puppet_run_mode"          => puppet_type,
     }
   end
 
@@ -230,7 +231,7 @@ def configure_openstack_node(
     configure_apt_mirror(config, v_config['apt_mirror'], apt_cache_proxy)
   end
 
-  apply_manifest(config, v_config, 'setup.pp')
+  apply_manifest(config, v_config, 'setup.pp', nil, puppet_type)
 
   if puppet_type == 'apply'
     apply_manifest(config, v_config, 'site.pp', cert_name)
diff --git a/install-scripts/master.sh b/install-scripts/master.sh
index fa82ebb..d8c7223 100644
--- a/install-scripts/master.sh
+++ b/install-scripts/master.sh
@@ -2,10 +2,16 @@
 #
 # this script converts the node
 # it runs on into a puppetmaster/build-server
-# It assumes that setup.sh has already been run.
 #
+
+export build_server_ip="${build_server_ip:-127.0.0.1}"
+export puppet_run_mode="apply"
+
+bash <(curl -fsS https://raw.github.com/CiscoSystems/openstack-installer/master/install-scripts/setup.sh)
+
 cp -Rv /root/openstack-installer/modules /etc/puppet/
 cp -Rv /root/openstack-installer/data /etc/puppet/
 cp -Rv /root/openstack-installer/manifests /etc/puppet/
 
 puppet apply /etc/puppet/manifests/site.pp --certname build-server --debug
+puppet plugin download --server `hostname -f`; service apache2 restart
diff --git a/install-scripts/setup.sh b/install-scripts/setup.sh
index 6cda62c..0d5a0c9 100644
--- a/install-scripts/setup.sh
+++ b/install-scripts/setup.sh
@@ -39,5 +39,6 @@ librarian-puppet install --verbose
 
 export FACTER_build_server_domain_name=$domain
 export FACTER_build_server_ip=$build_server_ip
+export FACTER_puppet_run_mode="${puppet_run_mode:-agent}"
 
 puppet apply manifests/setup.pp --modulepath modules
diff --git a/manifests/setup.pp b/manifests/setup.pp
index 62fd890..9d61822 100644
--- a/manifests/setup.pp
+++ b/manifests/setup.pp
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@ case $::osfamily {
     $pkg_list       = ['git', 'curl', 'vim', 'cobbler']
     package { 'puppet-common':
       ensure => $puppet_version,
-    } ->
-    package { 'puppetmaster-common':
-      ensure => $puppet_version,
-      before => Package['puppet'],
     }
   }
 }
@@ -44,9 +40,23 @@ if $::build_server_ip {
   }
 }
 
-# set up our hiera-store!
-file { "${settings::confdir}/hiera.yaml":
-  content =>
+#
+# configure data or all machines who
+# have run mode set to master or apply
+#
+if $::puppet_run_mode != 'agent' {
+
+  if $::osfamily == 'Debian' {
+    package { 'puppetmaster-common':
+      ensure  => $puppet_version,
+      before  => Package['puppet'],
+      require => Package['puppet-common']
+    }
+  }
+
+  # set up our hiera-store!
+  file { "${settings::confdir}/hiera.yaml":
+    content =>
 '
 ---
 :backends:
@@ -76,16 +86,17 @@ file { "${settings::confdir}/hiera.yaml":
    # this should be contained in a module
    :datadir: /etc/puppet/data/data_mappings
 '
-}
+  }
 
-# add the correct node terminus
-ini_setting {'puppetmastermodulepath':
-  ensure  => present,
-  path    => '/etc/puppet/puppet.conf',
-  section => 'main',
-  setting => 'node_terminus',
-  value   => 'scenario',
-  require => Package['puppet'],
+  # add the correct node terminus
+  ini_setting {'puppetmastermodulepath':
+    ensure  => present,
+    path    => '/etc/puppet/puppet.conf',
+    section => 'main',
+    setting => 'node_terminus',
+    value   => 'scenario',
+    require => Package['puppet'],
+  }
 }
 
 # lay down a file that can be used for subsequent runs to puppet. Often, the