diff --git a/roles/bodhi2/base/templates/production.ini.j2 b/roles/bodhi2/base/templates/production.ini.j2
index e913a89bfd..2480ce751b 100644
--- a/roles/bodhi2/base/templates/production.ini.j2
+++ b/roles/bodhi2/base/templates/production.ini.j2
@@ -648,6 +648,10 @@ f{{ FedoraRawhideNumber }}.pre_beta.critpath.stable_after_days_without_negative_
 eln.status = pre_beta
 eln.pre_beta.mandatory_days_in_testing = 0
 
+# EPEL bootstrap - During bootstrap updates don't require any days in testing.
+epel{{ EPELBootstrapNumber }}.status = pre_beta
+epel{{ EPELBootstrapNumber }}.pre_beta.mandatory_days_in_testing = 0
+
 
 ##
 ## Buildroot Override
diff --git a/vars/all/00-EPELCycleNumber.yaml b/vars/all/00-EPELCycleNumber.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7fbf664d8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/all/00-EPELCycleNumber.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+EPELCycleNumber: 9
diff --git a/vars/all/EPELBootstrapNumber.yaml b/vars/all/EPELBootstrapNumber.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..151d524f80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/all/EPELBootstrapNumber.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+EPELBootstrapNumber: "{{ EPELCycleNumber|int + 1 }}.0"
diff --git a/vars/all/README-EPEL b/vars/all/README-EPEL
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4e90ab85b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/all/README-EPEL
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+This directory contains variables (one per file) that are loaded into
+various playbooks. The first set of these is to allow templates to
+handle the various stages of EPEL development so we don't have to
+remember all the places that need changing.
+
+There's 3 states for EPEL releases:
+
+1:
+
+EPEL N (stable)
+EPEL N-1 (stable)
+
+2: We enable branch requests for a new release:
+
+EPEL N+1 (bootstrap)
+EPEL N (stable)
+EPEL N-1 (stable)
+
+3. That release is launched:
+
+EPEL N (stable)
+EPEL N-1 (stable)
+EPEL N-2 (stable)
+
+These are controlled by some variables:
+
+00-EPELCycleNumber.yaml - The current stable release
+EPELBootstrapNumber.yaml - The number of the bootstrap release