diff --git a/roles/ensure-quay-repo/README.rst b/roles/ensure-quay-repo/README.rst
index 5db7ea907..d8c071019 100644
--- a/roles/ensure-quay-repo/README.rst
+++ b/roles/ensure-quay-repo/README.rst
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@ When invoking this role you should set no_log: true on the
    ``container_registry_credentials`` variable used by the other container
    roles. Specify an ``api_token`` which is issued from an application
    assigned to an organisation.  See `<https://docs.quay.io/api/>`__
+   This application API token needs create permissions. If the registry
+   name is quay.io we know that the registry type is ``quay``. If you are
+   running a private Quay installation you can manually set
+   ``type`` to ``quay`` to force this behavior.
+
+   This role will only take action on image repos that map to
+   container registries for which both an ``api_token`` is set and
+   ``type`` can be determined to be ``quay``.
+
+   You may also set ``api_url`` on the registry credentials if the
+   API is not hosted at the root of the registry name. Most installations
+   should be able to ignore this and use the default of
+   ``https://{{ $name }}``.
 
    Example:
 
@@ -26,7 +39,9 @@ When invoking this role you should set no_log: true on the
 
       container_registry_credentials:
         quay.io:
+          type: 'quay'
           api_token: 'abcd1234'
+          api_url: 'https://quay.io'
 
 .. zuul:rolevar:: container_images
    :type: list
@@ -36,10 +51,8 @@ When invoking this role you should set no_log: true on the
    is in the same format as the ``container_images`` variable used by other
    container roles. Specify a ``registry`` (this should match up with your
    credentials to locate the api token), ``namespace``, ``repo_shortname``,
-   ``repo_description``, ``visibility``, and ``api_url`` attributes.
-
-   By default visibility will be ``public`` and ``api_url`` will be
-   ``https://{{ registry }}``.
+   ``repo_description``, and ``visibility`` attributes. By default
+   visibility will be ``public``.
 
    Example:
 
diff --git a/roles/ensure-quay-repo/tasks/create.yaml b/roles/ensure-quay-repo/tasks/create.yaml
index 00f475860..2c0e82bf4 100644
--- a/roles/ensure-quay-repo/tasks/create.yaml
+++ b/roles/ensure-quay-repo/tasks/create.yaml
@@ -1,49 +1,54 @@
-- name: Set quay_root_url
-  set_fact:
-    quay_root_url: "https://{{ zj_image.registry }}"
-  when: zj_image.api_url is not defined
+- name: Only run when necessary items are present
+  block:
+    - name: Set quay_root_url
+      set_fact:
+        quay_root_url: "https://{{ zj_image.registry }}"
+      when: container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].api_url is not defined
 
-- name: Alias api_url
-  set_fact:
-    quay_root_url: "{{ zj_image.api_url }}"
-  when: zj_image.api_url is defined
+    - name: Alias api_url
+      set_fact:
+        quay_root_url: "{{ container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].api_url }}"
+      when: container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].api_url is defined
 
-- name: Set quay_repo_visibility
-  set_fact:
-    quay_repo_visibility: "public"
-  when: zj_image.visibility is not defined
+    - name: Set quay_repo_visibility
+      set_fact:
+        quay_repo_visibility: "public"
+      when: zj_image.visibility is not defined
 
-- name: Alias visibility
-  set_fact:
-    quay_repo_visibility: "{{ zj_image.visibility }}"
-  when: zj_image.visibility is defined
+    - name: Alias visibility
+      set_fact:
+        quay_repo_visibility: "{{ zj_image.visibility }}"
+      when: zj_image.visibility is defined
 
-- name: Create the repo in quay
-  no_log: true
-  uri:
-    url: "{{ quay_root_url }}/api/v1/repository"
-    method: POST
-    body_format: json
-    body:
-      namespace: "{{ zj_image.namespace }}"
-      repository: "{{ zj_image.repo_shortname}}"
-      description: "{{ zj_image.repo_description }}"
-      visibility: "{{ quay_repo_visibility }}"
-    headers:
-      Content-Type: application/json
-      Authorization: "Bearer {{ container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].api_token }}"
-    status_code:
-      - 201
-      # 400 is returned when the repo already exists.
-      # We double check this below.
-      - 400
-  register: quay_repo_create
-  delay: 5
-  retries: 3
+    - name: Create the repo in quay
+      no_log: true
+      uri:
+        url: "{{ quay_root_url }}/api/v1/repository"
+        method: POST
+        body_format: json
+        body:
+          namespace: "{{ zj_image.namespace }}"
+          repository: "{{ zj_image.repo_shortname}}"
+          description: "{{ zj_image.repo_description }}"
+          visibility: "{{ quay_repo_visibility }}"
+        headers:
+          Content-Type: application/json
+          Authorization: "Bearer {{ container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].api_token }}"
+        status_code:
+          - 201
+          # 400 is returned when the repo already exists.
+          # We double check this below.
+          - 400
+      register: quay_repo_create
+      delay: 5
+      retries: 3
 
-- name: Fail if repo doesn't exist and we got a 400 status code
+    - name: Fail if repo doesn't exist and we got a 400 status code
+      when:
+        - quay_repo_create.status == 400
+        - "'error_message' not in quay_repo_create.json or ('error_message' in quay_repo_create.json and quay_repo_create.json.error_message != 'Repository already exists')"
+      fail:
+        msg: "Could not create {{ quay_root_url }}/{{ zj_image.namespace }}/{{ zj_image.repo_shortname }}"
   when:
-    - quay_repo_create.status == 400
-    - "'error_message' not in quay_repo_create.json or ('error_message' in quay_repo_create.json and quay_repo_create.json.error_message != 'Repository already exists')"
-  fail:
-    msg: "Could not create {{ quay_root_url }}/{{ zj_image.namespace }}/{{ zj_image.repo_shortname }}"
+    - zj_image.registry == 'quay.io' or (container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].type is defined and container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].type == 'quay')
+    - container_registry_credentials[zj_image.registry].api_token is defined