diff --git a/ntools/one-m/ansible/one-m-node.yml b/ntools/one-m/ansible/one-m-node.yml
index 0df6dbe2..3c30ef9c 100644
--- a/ntools/one-m/ansible/one-m-node.yml
+++ b/ntools/one-m/ansible/one-m-node.yml
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@
     - bcdb_base
     - ntp
     - db_storage
-    - install_rethinkdb
+    - rethinkdb
diff --git a/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/install_rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml b/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/install_rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 794256a9..00000000
--- a/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/install_rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
----
-# ansible/roles/install_rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml
-
-# Note: the .list extension will be added to the rethinkdb filename automatically
-- name: >
-    Ensure RethinkDB's APT repository for Ubuntu trusty is present
-    in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/rethinkdb.list
-  apt_repository:
-    repo='deb http://download.rethinkdb.com/apt trusty main'
-    filename=rethinkdb
-    state=present
-  become: true
-
-- name: Ensure RethinkDB's public GPG key is in the set of APT keys
-  apt_key: url=http://download.rethinkdb.com/apt/pubkey.gpg state=present
-  become: true
-
-- name: Ensure the latest rethinkdb Ubuntu package is installed
-  apt: name=rethinkdb state=latest update_cache=yes
-  become: true
-
-- name: Ensure the /data directory's owner and group are both 'rethinkdb'
-  file: path=/data state=directory owner=rethinkdb group=rethinkdb
-  become: true
diff --git a/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml b/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b377acf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+---
+# ansible/roles/rethinkdb/tasks/main.yml
+
+# Note: the .list extension will be added to the rethinkdb filename automatically
+- name: >
+    Ensure RethinkDB's APT repository for Ubuntu trusty is present
+    in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/rethinkdb.list
+  apt_repository:
+    repo='deb http://download.rethinkdb.com/apt trusty main'
+    filename=rethinkdb
+    state=present
+  become: true
+
+- name: Ensure RethinkDB's public GPG key is in the set of APT keys
+  apt_key: url=http://download.rethinkdb.com/apt/pubkey.gpg state=present
+  become: true
+
+- name: Ensure the latest rethinkdb Ubuntu package is installed
+  apt: name=rethinkdb state=latest update_cache=yes
+  become: true
+
+- name: Ensure the /data directory's owner and group are both 'rethinkdb'
+  file: path=/data state=directory owner=rethinkdb group=rethinkdb
+  become: true
+
+# To enable starting RethinkDB on boot (on init.d systems),
+# the config file must be put in /etc/rethinkdb/instances.d/
+# See https://www.rethinkdb.com/docs/start-on-startup/
+# Note: This task does NOT have a notify: rethinkdb restart
+# A task to ensure RethinkDB is started comes later.
+- name: Write a RethinkDB config file
+  template:
+    src=rethinkdb.conf.j2
+    dest=/etc/rethinkdb/instances.d/instance1.conf
+    owner=rethinkdb
+    group=rethinkdb
+    mode=0664
+  become: true
+
+- name: Gather facts about the file /data/metadata
+  stat: path=/data/metadata
+  register: data_metadata_file
+
+- name: Create /data/metadata file if it doesn't exist
+  file: path=/data/metadata state=touch owner=rethinkdb group=rethinkdb mode=0664
+  when: not data_metadata_file.stat.exists
+  become: true
+
+- name: Ensure rethinkdb is now started
+  service: name=rethinkdb state=started
+  become: true
+
+# Other way (not idempotent):
+# Note: The default is for runuser and rungroup to both be rethinkdb
+#- name: Run rethinkdb as a daemon
+#  shell: rethinkdb --config-file /etc/rethinkdb/instances.d/instance1.conf --daemon
+#  become: true
diff --git a/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/rethinkdb/templates/rethinkdb.conf.j2 b/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/rethinkdb/templates/rethinkdb.conf.j2
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..273a5a2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ntools/one-m/ansible/roles/rethinkdb/templates/rethinkdb.conf.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+directory=/data
+bind=all
+bind-http=127.0.0.1
+direct-io
+# List of *other* hostnames in the cluster:
+# join=hostname1:29015
+# join=hostname2:29015
+# etc.