diff --git a/library/cloud/nova_compute b/library/cloud/nova_compute
index 37df3665ea4..8a3725ed2fc 100644
--- a/library/cloud/nova_compute
+++ b/library/cloud/nova_compute
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this software.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+import os
+
 try:
     from novaclient.v1_1 import client as nova_client
     from novaclient import exceptions
@@ -224,13 +226,32 @@ def _get_server_state(module, nova):
 
 
 def main():
+    # Consume standard OpenStack environment variables.
+    # This is mainly only useful for ad-hoc command line operation as
+    # in playbooks one would assume variables would be used appropriately
+    OS_USERNAME=os.environ.get('OS_USERNAME', 'admin')
+    OS_PASSWORD=os.environ.get('OS_PASSWORD', None)
+    login_password_arg = dict()
+    if OS_PASSWORD:
+        login_password_arg['default'] = OS_PASSWORD
+    else:
+        login_password_arg['required'] = True
+    OS_TENANT_NAME=os.environ.get('OS_TENANT_NAME', None)
+    tenant_name_arg = dict()
+    if OS_TENANT_NAME:
+        tenant_name_arg['default'] = OS_TENANT_NAME
+    else:
+        tenant_name_arg['required'] = True
+    OS_REGION_NAME=os.environ.get('OS_REGION_NAME', None)
+    OS_AUTH_URL=os.environ.get('OS_AUTH_URL', 'http://127.0.0.1:35357/v2.0/')
+
     module = AnsibleModule(
         argument_spec                   = dict(
-        login_username                  = dict(default='admin'),
-        login_password                  = dict(required=True),
-        login_tenant_name               = dict(required='True'),
-        auth_url                        = dict(default='http://127.0.0.1:35357/v2.0/'),
-        region_name                     = dict(default=None),
+        login_username                  = dict(default=OS_USERNAME),
+        login_password                  = login_password_arg,
+        login_tenant_name               = tenant_name_arg,
+        auth_url                        = dict(default=OS_AUTH_URL),
+        region_name                     = dict(default=OS_REGION_NAME),
         name                            = dict(required=True),
         image_id                        = dict(default=None),
         flavor_id                       = dict(default=1),