diff --git a/anvil/distros/rhel.py b/anvil/distros/rhel.py
index d9fa68ef..4356a12c 100644
--- a/anvil/distros/rhel.py
+++ b/anvil/distros/rhel.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from anvil.components import nova
 from anvil.components import rabbit
 
 from anvil.packaging import yum
+from anvil.packaging.helpers import changelog
 
 from anvil.components.helpers import nova as nhelper
 
@@ -54,6 +55,11 @@ ResultActive=yes
 DEF_IDENT = 'unix-group:libvirtd'
 
 
+def tar_it(to_where, what, wkdir):
+    tar_cmd = ['tar', '-cvzf', to_where, what]
+    return sh.execute(*tar_cmd, cwd=wkdir)
+
+
 class DBInstaller(db.DBInstaller):
 
     def _configure_db_confs(self):
@@ -204,10 +210,10 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
         comp.Component.__init__(self, *args, **kargs)
         self.package_dir = sh.joinpths(self.get_option('component_dir'), 'package')
         self.build_paths = {}
-        for name in ['SOURCES', 'SPECS', 'SRPMS', 'RPMS', 'BUILD']:
+        for name in ['sources', 'specs', 'srpms', 'rpms', 'build']:
             # Remove any old packaging directories...
-            sh.deldir(sh.joinpths(self.package_dir, name), True)
-            self.build_paths[name] = sh.mkdir(sh.joinpths(self.package_dir, name))
+            sh.deldir(sh.joinpths(self.package_dir, name.upper()), True)
+            self.build_paths[name] = sh.mkdir(sh.joinpths(self.package_dir, name.upper()))
         self._cached_details = None
 
     def _requirements(self):
@@ -216,9 +222,6 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
             'build': self._build_requirements(),
         }
 
-    def _description(self):
-        return ''
-
     @property
     def details(self):
         if self._cached_details is not None:
@@ -226,27 +229,16 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
         self._cached_details = {
             'name': self.name,
             'version': 0,
-            'release': 1,
+            'release': self.get_int_option('release', default_value=1),
             'packager': "%s <%s@%s>" % (sh.getuser(), sh.getuser(), sh.hostname()),
             'changelog': '',
             'license': 'Apache License, Version 2.0',
             'automatic_dependencies': True,
             'vendor': None,
+            'url': '',
+            'description': '',
+            'summary': 'Package build of %s on %s' % (self.name, utils.rcf8222date()),
         }
-        # RPM apparently rejects descriptions with blank lines (even between content)
-        descr = self._description()
-        descr_lines = []
-        for line in descr.splitlines():
-            sline = line.strip()
-            if not sline:
-                continue
-            else:
-                descr_lines.append(line)
-        self._cached_details['description'] = "\n".join(descr_lines)
-        self._cached_details['summary'] = "\n".join(descr_lines[0:1])
-        if not self._cached_details['summary']:
-            summary = 'Package build of %s on %s' % (self.name, utils.rcf8222date())
-            self._cached_details['summary'] = summary
         return self._cached_details
 
     def _build_details(self):
@@ -291,8 +283,9 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
         return []
 
     def _create_package(self):
+        files = self._gather_files()
         params = {
-            'files': self._gather_files(),
+            'files': files,
             'requires': self._requirements(),
             'obsoletes': self._obsoletes(),
             'conflicts': self._conflicts(),
@@ -304,10 +297,14 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
             'details': self.details,
         }
         (_fn, content) = utils.load_template('packaging', 'spec.tmpl')
-        spec_fn = sh.joinpths(self.build_paths['SPECS'], self._make_fn("spec"))
+        spec_base = self._make_fn("spec")
+        spec_fn = sh.joinpths(self.build_paths['specs'], spec_base)
         LOG.debug("Creating spec file %s with params:", spec_fn)
+        files['sources'].append("%s.tar.gz" % (spec_base))
         utils.log_object(params, logger=LOG, level=logging.DEBUG)
         sh.write_file(spec_fn, utils.expand_template(content, params))
+        tar_it(sh.joinpths(self.build_paths['sources'], "%s.tar.gz" % (spec_base)),
+               spec_base, wkdir=self.build_paths['specs'])
 
     def _build_requirements(self):
         return []
@@ -332,7 +329,8 @@ class DependencyPackager(comp.Component):
 class PythonPackager(DependencyPackager):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kargs):
         DependencyPackager.__init__(self, *args, **kargs)
-        self._details_adjusted = False
+        self._extended_details = None
+        self._setup_fn = sh.joinpths(self.get_option('app_dir'), 'setup.py')
         
     def _build_requirements(self):
         return [
@@ -342,46 +340,95 @@ class PythonPackager(DependencyPackager):
             'python-setuptools',
         ]
 
-    def _make_source_archive(self):
-        return None
+    def _build_changelog(self):
+        try:
+            ch = changelog.RpmChangeLog(self.get_option('app_dir'))
+            return ch.formatLog()
+        except (excp.AnvilException, IOError):
+            return ''
 
     def _undefines(self):
-        to_undefine = DependencyPackager._undefines(self)
-        to_undefine.append('__check_files')
-        return to_undefine
+        undefine_what = DependencyPackager._undefines(self)
+        if self.get_bool_option('ignore_missing'):
+            undefine_what.append('__check_files')
+        return undefine_what
+
+    def _gather_files(self):
+        files = DependencyPackager._gather_files(self)
+        files['directories'].append("%{python_sitelib}/" + (self.details['name']))
+        files['files'].append("%{python_sitelib}/" + (self.details['name']))
+        files['files'].append("%{python_sitelib}/" + "%s-*.egg-info/" % (self.details['name']))
+        files['files'].append("%{_bindir}/")
+        return files
+
+    def _build_details(self):
+        # See: http://www.rpm.org/max-rpm/s1-rpm-inside-macros.html
+        b_dets = DependencyPackager._build_details(self)
+        b_dets['setup'] = '-q -n %{name}-%{version}'
+        b_dets['action'] = '%{__python} setup.py build'
+        b_dets['install_how'] = '%{__python} setup.py install --prefix=%{_prefix} --root=%{buildroot}'
+        return b_dets
+
+    def verify(self):
+        if not sh.isfile(self._setup_fn):
+            raise excp.PackageException(("Can not package %s since python"
+                                         " setup file at %s is missing") % (self.name, self._setup_fn))
+
+    def _make_source_archive(self):
+        with utils.tempdir() as td:
+            arch_base_name = "%s-%s" % (self.details['name'], self.details['version'])
+            sh.copytree(self.get_option('app_dir'), sh.joinpths(td, arch_base_name))
+            arch_tmp_fn = sh.joinpths(td, "%s.tar.gz" % (arch_base_name))
+            tar_it(arch_tmp_fn, arch_base_name, td)
+            sh.move(arch_tmp_fn, self.build_paths['sources'])
+        return "%s.tar.gz" % (arch_base_name)
 
     def _description(self):
-        app_dir = self.get_option('app_dir')
-        if not sh.isfile(sh.joinpths(app_dir, 'setup.py')):
-            return DependencyPackager._description(self)
-        describe_cmd = ['python', sh.joinpths(app_dir, 'setup.py'), '--description']
-        (stdout, _stderr) = sh.execute(*describe_cmd, run_as_root=True, cwd=app_dir)
-        return stdout.strip()
+        describe_cmd = ['python', self._setup_fn, '--description']
+        (stdout, _stderr) = sh.execute(*describe_cmd, run_as_root=True, cwd=self.get_option('app_dir'))
+        stdout = stdout.strip()
+        if stdout:
+            # RPM apparently rejects descriptions with blank lines (even between content)
+            descr_lines = []
+            for line in stdout.splitlines():
+                sline = line.strip()
+                if not sline:
+                    continue
+                else:
+                    descr_lines.append(line)
+            return descr_lines
+        return []
 
     @property
     def details(self):
         base = super(PythonPackager, self).details
-        if self._details_adjusted:
-            return base
-        app_dir = self.get_option('app_dir')
-        if not sh.isfile(sh.joinpths(app_dir, 'setup.py')):
-            self._details_adjusted = True
-            return base
-        base_setup_cmd = ['python', sh.joinpths(app_dir, 'setup.py')]
-        replacements = {
-            'version': '--version',
-            'license': '--license',
-            'name': '--name',
-            'vendor': '--author',
-        }
-        for (key, opt) in replacements.items():
-            cmd = base_setup_cmd + [opt]
-            (stdout, _stderr) = sh.execute(*cmd, run_as_root=True, cwd=app_dir)
-            stdout = stdout.strip()
-            if stdout:
-                base[key] = stdout
-        self._details_adjusted = True
-        return base
+        if self._extended_details is None:
+            ext_dets = {
+                'automatic_dependencies': False,
+            }
+            setup_cmd = ['python', self._setup_fn]
+            replacements = {
+                'version': '--version',
+                'license': '--license',
+                'name': '--name',
+                'vendor': '--author',
+                'url': '--url',
+            }
+            for (key, opt) in replacements.items():
+                cmd = setup_cmd + [opt]
+                (stdout, _stderr) = sh.execute(*cmd, run_as_root=True, cwd=self.get_option('app_dir'))
+                stdout = stdout.strip()
+                if stdout:
+                    ext_dets[key] = stdout
+            description = self._description()
+            if description:
+                ext_dets['description'] = "\n".join(description)
+                ext_dets['summary'] = utils.truncate_text("\n".join(description[0:1]), 50)
+            ext_dets['changelog'] = self._build_changelog()
+            self._extended_details = ext_dets
+        extended_dets = dict(base)
+        extended_dets.update(self._extended_details)
+        return extended_dets
 
     def package(self):
         i_sibling = self.siblings.get('install')
@@ -391,6 +438,4 @@ class PythonPackager(DependencyPackager):
         if pips:
             for pip_info in pips:
                 LOG.warn("Unable to package pip %s dependency in an rpm.", colorizer.quote(pip_info['name']))
-        if not sh.isdir(self.get_option('app_dir')):
-            raise excp.PackageException("Can not package component %s without an application directory" % (self.name))
         return DependencyPackager.package(self)
diff --git a/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py b/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b098cb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/anvil/packaging/helpers/changelog.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Based off of http://www.brianlane.com/nice-changelog-entries.html
+#
+# git-changelog - Output a rpm changelog
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2009-2010  Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+# by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+# Author: David Cantrell <dcantrell@redhat.com>
+# Author: Brian C. Lane <bcl@redhat.com>
+
+import iso8601
+import textwrap
+
+from anvil import shell as sh
+
+
+class RpmChangeLog(object):
+    def __init__(self, wkdir, max_history=100):
+        self.wkdir = wkdir
+        self.max_history = max_history
+        self.date_buckets = None
+
+    def _getCommitDetail(self, commit, field):
+        detail_cmd = ['git', 'log', '-1', "--pretty=format:%s" % field, commit]
+        (stdout, stderr) = sh.execute(*detail_cmd, cwd=self.wkdir)
+        ret = stdout.strip('\n').splitlines()
+        if len(ret) == 1:
+            ret = ret[0]
+        else:
+            ret = filter(lambda x: x != '', ret)
+        return ret
+
+    def _filter_logs(self, line):
+        if not line.strip():
+            return False
+        if (line.find('l10n: ') != 41 and line.find('Merge commit') != 41 and line.find('Merge branch') != 41):
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    def _getLog(self):
+        log_cmd = ['git', 'log', '--pretty=oneline', '-n%s' % (self.max_history)]
+        (sysout, stderr) = sh.execute(*log_cmd, cwd=self.wkdir)
+        lines = filter(self._filter_logs, sysout.strip('\n').splitlines())
+
+        # Extract the raw commit details
+        log = []
+        for line in lines:
+            fields = line.split(' ')
+            commit = fields[0]
+
+            # http://opensource.apple.com/source/Git/Git-26/src/git-htmldocs/pretty-formats.txt
+            summary = self._getCommitDetail(commit, "%s")
+            date = self._getCommitDetail(commit, "%ai")
+            author_email = self._getCommitDetail(commit, "%aE")
+            author_name = self._getCommitDetail(commit, "%an")
+            log.append({
+                'summary': summary,
+                'when': iso8601.parse_date(date),
+                'author_email': author_email,
+                'author_name': author_name,
+            })
+        
+        # Bucketize the dates
+        date_buckets = {}
+        for entry in log:
+            day = entry['when'].date()
+            if day in date_buckets:
+                date_buckets[day].append(entry)
+            else:
+                date_buckets[day] = [entry]
+        return date_buckets
+
+    def formatLog(self):
+        if self.date_buckets is None:
+            self.date_buckets = self._getLog()
+        date_buckets = self.date_buckets
+        lines = []
+        dates = date_buckets.keys()
+        for d in reversed(sorted(dates)):
+            summaries = date_buckets[d]
+            for msg in summaries:
+                header = "* %s %s <%s>" % (d.strftime("%a %b %d %Y"),
+                                           msg['author_name'], msg['author_email'])
+                lines.append(header)
+                summary = msg['summary']
+                sublines = textwrap.wrap(summary, 77)
+                lines.append("- %s" % sublines[0])
+                if len(sublines) > 1:
+                    for subline in sublines[1:]:
+                        lines.append("  %s" % subline)
+        # Replace utf8 with ? just incase
+        contents = "\n".join(lines)
+        contents = contents.decode('utf8').encode('ascii', 'replace')
+        return contents
diff --git a/anvil/shell.py b/anvil/shell.py
index 628236b2..10259839 100644
--- a/anvil/shell.py
+++ b/anvil/shell.py
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ def hostname():
     try:
         return socket.gethostname()
     except socket.error:
-        return None
+        return 'localhost'
 
 
 def isuseable(path, options=os.W_OK | os.R_OK | os.X_OK):
@@ -641,6 +641,13 @@ def copy(src, dst):
     return dst
 
 
+def copytree(src, dst):
+    LOG.debug("Copying full tree: %r => %r" % (src, dst))
+    if not is_dry_run():
+        shutil.copytree(src, dst)
+    return dst
+
+
 def move(src, dst):
     LOG.debug("Moving: %r => %r" % (src, dst))
     if not is_dry_run():
diff --git a/conf/distros/rhel.yaml b/conf/distros/rhel.yaml
index 933eda09..29860546 100644
--- a/conf/distros/rhel.yaml
+++ b/conf/distros/rhel.yaml
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.cinder_client:CinderClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.cinder_client:CinderClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:PythonTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
     db:
         action_classes:
             install: anvil.distros.rhel:DBInstaller
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.glance:GlanceRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.glance:GlanceUninstaller
             test: anvil.components.glance:GlanceTester
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         # When parsing 'tools/pip-requires' and 
         # 'tools/test-requires' (if they exist)
         # the following map will be used to translate names
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.glance_client:GlanceClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.glance_client:GlanceClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components.glance_client:GlanceClientTester
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         pips:
         -   name: nosexcover
         -   name: setuptools-git
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.horizon:HorizonRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.horizon:HorizonUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:PythonTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         pip_to_package:
         -   name: pytz
             package:
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.keystone:KeystoneRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.keystone:KeystoneUninstaller
             test: anvil.components.keystone:KeystoneTester
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         packages:
         -   name: MySQL-python
         pip_to_package:
@@ -306,14 +306,14 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.keystone_client:KeyStoneClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.keystone_client:KeyStoneClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:PythonTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
     nova:
         action_classes:
             install: anvil.distros.rhel:NovaInstaller
             running: anvil.components.nova:NovaRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.nova:NovaUninstaller
             test: anvil.components.nova:NovaTester
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         packages:
         -   name: MySQL-python
         -   name: dnsmasq
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.nova_client:NovaClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.nova_client:NovaClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:PythonTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
     no-vnc:
         action_classes:
             install: anvil.components.novnc:NoVNCInstaller
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.openstack_client:OpenStackClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.openstack_client:OpenStackClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components.openstack_client:OpenStackClientTester
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         pips:
         -   name: cliff
         pip_to_package:
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.quantum_client:QuantumClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.quantum_client:QuantumClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:PythonTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
         pip_to_package:
         -   name: pyparsing
             package:
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ components:
             running: anvil.distros.rhel:RabbitRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.rabbit:RabbitUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:EmptyTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:DependencyPackager
         packages:
         -   name: rabbitmq-server
             pre-install:
@@ -431,6 +431,6 @@ components:
             running: anvil.components.swift_client:SwiftClientRuntime
             uninstall: anvil.components.swift_client:SwiftClientUninstaller
             test: anvil.components:PythonTestingComponent
-            package: anvil.components:EmptyPackagingComponent
+            package: anvil.distros.rhel:PythonPackager
 ...
 
diff --git a/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl b/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl
index 66a5e4d6..553115c9 100644
--- a/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl
+++ b/conf/templates/packaging/spec.tmpl
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 %define ${d}
 #end for
 #for $d in $undefines
-#%undefine ${d}
+%undefine ${d}
 #end for
 # 
 # Spec file for $details.name auto-generated on ${date} by ${who}
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ Name: $details.name
 Summary: $details.summary
 Version: $details.version
 Release: $details.release%{?dist}
+Packager: $details.packager
+#if $details.url
+URL: $details.url
+#end if
 #if $details.vendor
 Vendor: $details.vendor
 #end if
@@ -89,19 +93,20 @@ $details.summary
 #end if
 
 %prep
+
 #if $build.has_key('setup')
 %setup $build.setup
 #end if
+
 #if $build.has_key('action')
 %build
 $build.action
 #end if
 
 %install
-rm -rf %{buildroot}
-
-%clean
-rm -rf %{buildroot}
+#if $build.has_key('install_how')
+$build.install_how
+#end if
 
 %files
 %defattr(-,root,root,-)
diff --git a/smithy b/smithy
index 8899867a..f4e97be4 100755
--- a/smithy
+++ b/smithy
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ EOF
         return 1
     fi
     echo "Installing needed distribution dependencies:"
-    yum install -y gcc git pylint python python-netifaces python-pep8 python-cheetah python-pip python-progressbar PyYAML python-ordereddict 2>&1
+    pkgs="gcc git pylint python python-netifaces python-pep8 python-cheetah"
+    pkgs="$pkgs python-pip python-progressbar PyYAML python-ordereddict python-iso8601"
+    yum install -y $pkgs 2>&1
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         return 1
     fi
@@ -82,7 +84,9 @@ bootstrap_ub()
     echo "Bootstrapping Ubuntu: $1"
     echo "Please wait..."
     echo "Installing needed distribution dependencies:"
-    apt-get install -y gcc git pep8 pylint python python-dev python-iniparse python-pip python-progressbar python-yaml python-cheetah
+    pkgs="gcc git pep8 pylint python python-dev python-iniparse"
+    pkgs="$pkgs python-pip python-progressbar python-yaml python-cheetah python-iso8601"
+    apt-get install -y $pkgs
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         return 1
     fi