diff --git a/install_jenkins_slave.sh b/install_jenkins_slave.sh
index bb0fa4ab2e..a12aa352b9 100755
--- a/install_jenkins_slave.sh
+++ b/install_jenkins_slave.sh
@@ -5,19 +5,42 @@ if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
    exit 1
 fi
 
-cat > /etc/apt/preferences.d/00-puppet.pref <<EOF
-Package: puppet puppet-common puppetmaster puppetmaster-common
-Pin: version 2.7*
-Pin-Priority: 501
-EOF
+if cat /etc/*release | grep "Red Hat" &> /dev/null; then
 
-lsbdistcodename=`lsb_release -c -s`
-puppet_deb=puppetlabs-release-${lsbdistcodename}.deb
-wget http://apt.puppetlabs.com/$puppet_deb -O $puppet_deb
-dpkg -i $puppet_deb
+	rpm -qi epel-release &> /dev/null || rpm -Uvh http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm
+        #installing this package gives use the key
+	rpm -ivh http://yum.puppetlabs.com/el/6/products/x86_64/puppetlabs-release-6-6.noarch.rpm
+	cat > /etc/yum.repos.d/puppetlabs.repo <<-"EOF"
+	[puppetlabs-products]
+	name=Puppet Labs Products El 6 - $basearch
+	baseurl=http://yum.puppetlabs.com/el/6/products/$basearch
+	gpgkey=file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-puppetlabs
+	enabled=1
+	gpgcheck=1
+	exclude=puppet-2.8* puppet-2.9* puppet-3*
+	EOF
+	yum update -y
+	# NOTE: enable the optional-rpms channel (if not already enabled)
+	# yum-config-manager --enable rhel-6-server-optional-rpms
+	yum install -y git puppet
 
-apt-get update
-apt-get install -y puppet git rubygems
+else #defaults to Ubuntu
+
+	cat > /etc/apt/preferences.d/00-puppet.pref <<-EOF
+	Package: puppet puppet-common puppetmaster puppetmaster-common
+	Pin: version 2.7*
+	Pin-Priority: 501
+	EOF
+
+	lsbdistcodename=`lsb_release -c -s`
+	puppet_deb=puppetlabs-release-${lsbdistcodename}.deb
+	wget http://apt.puppetlabs.com/$puppet_deb -O $puppet_deb
+	dpkg -i $puppet_deb
+
+	apt-get update
+	apt-get install -y puppet git rubygems
+
+fi
 
 git clone https://github.com/openstack-infra/config
 bash config/install_modules.sh