diff --git a/nova/adminclient.py b/nova/adminclient.py
index 5aa8ff9c..242298a7 100644
--- a/nova/adminclient.py
+++ b/nova/adminclient.py
@@ -217,11 +217,16 @@ class NovaAdminClient(object):
         """ deletes a user """
         return self.apiconn.get_object('DeregisterUser', {'Name': username}, UserInfo)
 
+    def get_roles(self, project_roles=True):
+        """Returns a list of available roles."""
+        return self.apiconn.get_list('DescribeRoles',
+                                     {'ProjectRoles': project_roles},
+                                     [('item', UserRole)])
+
     def get_user_roles(self, user, project=None):
-        """
-        Returns a list of roles for the given user.
-        Omitting project will return any global roles that the user has.
-        Specifying project will return only project specific roles.
+        """Returns a list of roles for the given user.
+           Omitting project will return any global roles that the user has.
+           Specifying project will return only project specific roles.
         """
         params = {'User':user}
         if project:
diff --git a/nova/endpoint/admin.py b/nova/endpoint/admin.py
index a3114c0a..4f4824fc 100644
--- a/nova/endpoint/admin.py
+++ b/nova/endpoint/admin.py
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ class AdminController(object):
     @admin_only
     def describe_roles(self, context, project_roles=True, **kwargs):
         """Returns a list of allowed roles."""
-        return manager.AuthManager().get_roles(project_roles)
+        roles = manager.AuthManager().get_roles(project_roles)
+        return { 'roles': [{'role': r} for r in roles]}
 
     @admin_only
     def describe_user_roles(self, context, user, project=None, **kwargs):
@@ -113,7 +114,8 @@ class AdminController(object):
            Omitting project will return any global roles that the user has.
            Specifying project will return only project specific roles.
         """
-        return manager.AuthManager().get_user_roles(user, project=project)
+        roles = manager.AuthManager().get_user_roles(user, project=project)
+        return { 'roles': [{'role': r} for r in roles]}
 
     @admin_only
     def modify_user_role(self, context, user, role, project=None,