diff --git a/playbooks/groups/beaker-stg.yml b/playbooks/groups/beaker-stg.yml
index aded39b20b..287ff34f79 100644
--- a/playbooks/groups/beaker-stg.yml
+++ b/playbooks/groups/beaker-stg.yml
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 
   roles:
    - { role: mariadb_server, tags: ['mariadb'] }
+   - { role: beaker/base, tags: ['beakerbase'] }
    - { role: beaker/labcontroller, tags: ['beakerlabcontroller'] }
    - { role: beaker/server, tags: ['beakerserver'] }
 
diff --git a/roles/beaker/labcontroller/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo b/roles/beaker/base/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo
similarity index 100%
rename from roles/beaker/labcontroller/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo
rename to roles/beaker/base/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo
diff --git a/roles/beaker/base/tasks/main.yml b/roles/beaker/base/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c1a87a1f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/beaker/base/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#
+# This is the base beaker role - mostly installing repos for beaker
+#
+---
+
+- name: put beaker server repos on Rhel systems
+  template:
+    src: "{{ item }}"
+    dest: "/etc/yum.repos.d/{{ item }}"
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  with_items:
+    - beaker-server-rhel.repo
+  when: ansible_distribution == 'RedHat'
+
+- name: put beaker server repos on Fedora systems
+  copy:
+    src: "{{ item }}"
+    dest: "/etc/yum.repos.d/{{ item }}"
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  with_items:
+    - beaker-server-fedora.repo
+  when: ansible_distribution == 'Fedora'
+
diff --git a/roles/beaker/base/templates/beaker-server-rhel.repo b/roles/beaker/base/templates/beaker-server-rhel.repo
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..96b2e52414
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/beaker/base/templates/beaker-server-rhel.repo
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[beaker-server]
+name=Beaker Server - RedHatEnterpriseLinux{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }}
+baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server/RedHatEnterpriseLinux{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }}/
+enabled=1
+gpgcheck=0
+
+[beaker-server-testing]
+name=Beaker Server - RedHatEnterpriseLinux{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }} - Testing
+baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server-testing/RedHatEnterpriseLinux{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }}/
+enabled=0
+gpgcheck=0
diff --git a/roles/beaker/labcontroller/files/beaker-server-rhel.repo b/roles/beaker/labcontroller/files/beaker-server-rhel.repo
deleted file mode 100644
index 4144efea42..0000000000
--- a/roles/beaker/labcontroller/files/beaker-server-rhel.repo
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-[beaker-server]
-name=Beaker Server - RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever
-baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server/RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever/
-enabled=1
-gpgcheck=0
-
-[beaker-server-testing]
-name=Beaker Server - RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever - Testing
-baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server-testing/RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever/
-enabled=0
-gpgcheck=0
diff --git a/roles/beaker/server/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo b/roles/beaker/server/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo
deleted file mode 100644
index d5668d3000..0000000000
--- a/roles/beaker/server/files/beaker-server-fedora.repo
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-[beaker-server]
-name=Beaker Server - Fedora$releasever
-baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server/Fedora$releasever/
-enabled=1
-gpgcheck=0
-
-[beaker-server-testing]
-name=Beaker Server -Fedora$releasever - Testing
-baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server-testing/Fedora$releasever/
-enabled=0
-gpgcheck=0
diff --git a/roles/beaker/server/files/beaker-server-rhel.repo b/roles/beaker/server/files/beaker-server-rhel.repo
deleted file mode 100644
index 4144efea42..0000000000
--- a/roles/beaker/server/files/beaker-server-rhel.repo
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-[beaker-server]
-name=Beaker Server - RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever
-baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server/RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever/
-enabled=1
-gpgcheck=0
-
-[beaker-server-testing]
-name=Beaker Server - RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever - Testing
-baseurl=https://beaker-project.org/yum/server-testing/RedHatEnterpriseLinux$releasever/
-enabled=0
-gpgcheck=0