diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/buildvm b/inventory/group_vars/buildvm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2d31f4045
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/buildvm
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+# common items for the buildvm-* koji builders
+lvm_size: 150G
+mem_size: 6144
+num_cpus: 5
+ks_url: http://10.5.126.23/repo/rhel/ks/buildvm-el-6
+ks_repo: http://10.5.126.23/repo/rhel/RHEL6-x86_64/
+nm: 255.255.255.0
+gw: 10.5.125.254
+dns: 10.5.126.21
+volgroup: /dev/vg_host01
+# for systems that do not match the above - specify the same parameter in
+# the host_vars/$hostname file
diff --git a/inventory/host_vars/buildvm-01.phx2.fedoraproject.org b/inventory/host_vars/buildvm-01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
index 4f6e641150..e21b46516c 100644
--- a/inventory/host_vars/buildvm-01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
+++ b/inventory/host_vars/buildvm-01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
@@ -1,12 +1,3 @@
 ---
-lvm_size: 150G
-mem_size: 6144
-num_cpus: 5
-ks_url: http://10.5.126.23/repo/rhel/ks/buildvm-el-6
-ks_repo: http://10.5.126.23/repo/rhel/RHEL6-x86_64/
-nm: 255.255.255.0
-gw: 10.5.125.254
-dns: 10.5.126.21
-volgroup: /dev/vg_host01
 vmhost: buildvmhost-01.phx2.fedoraproject.org