diff --git a/inventory/host_vars/copr-be-dev.cloud.fedoraproject.org b/inventory/host_vars/copr-be-dev.cloud.fedoraproject.org
index ea1669586f..370fd9e3ce 100644
--- a/inventory/host_vars/copr-be-dev.cloud.fedoraproject.org
+++ b/inventory/host_vars/copr-be-dev.cloud.fedoraproject.org
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ fedmsg_certs:
   - copr.chroot.start
   - copr.worker.create
 
+# consumed by roles/messaging/base
+messaging:
+  certificates:
+  - key: copr
+    username: copr
+
 # Copr vars
 copr_hostbase: copr-be-dev
 _copr_be_conf: copr-be.conf-dev
diff --git a/playbooks/groups/copr-backend.yml b/playbooks/groups/copr-backend.yml
index 02cc32a3d2..4f28165656 100644
--- a/playbooks/groups/copr-backend.yml
+++ b/playbooks/groups/copr-backend.yml
@@ -46,3 +46,5 @@
   - fedmsg/base
   - copr/backend
   - nagios_client
+  - { role: messaging/base,
+      when: devel }
diff --git a/roles/messaging/base/tasks/main.yml b/roles/messaging/base/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5f35138310
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/messaging/base/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+- name: install the messaging packages
+  package: name={{ item }} state=present
+  with_items:
+  - fedora-messaging
+
+- name: create rabitmq directory
+  file: path=/etc/pki/rabbitmq/ owner=root group=root mode=0755 state=directory
+  tags:
+  - fedora-messaging
+
+- name: "create user directory for {{ item.username }}'s keys"
+  file: path=/etc/pki/rabbitmq/{{ item.username }}/
+        owner={{ item.username }} group={{ item.username }}
+        mode=0700 state=directory
+  with_items: "{{ messaging.certificates }}"
+  tags:
+  - fedora-messaging
+
+- name: "copy fedora messaging key for {{ item.username }}"
+  copy: src={{ private }}/files/rabbitmq/{{ env }}/pki/issued/{{ item.key }}{% if env == 'staging' %}.stg{% endif %}.key
+        dest=/etc/pki/rabbitmq/{{ item.username }}/{{ item.key }}.key
+        owner={{ item.username }} group=root mode={{ item.username }}
+  with_items: "{{ messaging.certificates }}"
+  tags:
+  - fedora-messaging
+
+- name: "copy fedora messaging certificate for {{ item.username }}"
+  copy: src={{ private }}/files/rabbitmq/{{ env }}/pki/issued/{{ item.key }}{% if env == 'staging' %}.stg{% endif %}.crt
+        dest=/etc/pki/rabbitmq/{{ item.username }}/{{ item.key }}.crt
+        owner={{ item.username }} group=root mode={{ item.username }}
+  with_items: "{{ messaging.certificates }}"
+  tags:
+  - fedora-messaging