diff --git a/lib/rpc_backend b/lib/rpc_backend
index 33ab03d..03eacd8 100644
--- a/lib/rpc_backend
+++ b/lib/rpc_backend
@@ -1,72 +1,32 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 #
 # lib/rpc_backend
-# Interface for interactig with different RPC backends
+# Interface for installing RabbitMQ on the system
 
 # Dependencies:
 #
 # - ``functions`` file
 # - ``RABBIT_{HOST|PASSWORD|USERID}`` must be defined when RabbitMQ is used
-# - ``RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL`` option for configuring the messaging protocol
 
 # ``stack.sh`` calls the entry points in this order:
 #
 # - check_rpc_backend
 # - install_rpc_backend
 # - restart_rpc_backend
-# - iniset_rpc_backend
+# - iniset_rpc_backend (stable interface)
+#
+# Note: if implementing an out of tree plugin for an RPC backend, you
+# should install all services through normal plugin methods, then
+# redefine ``iniset_rpc_backend`` in your code. That's the one portion
+# of this file which is a standard interface.
 
 # Save trace setting
 XTRACE=$(set +o | grep xtrace)
 set +o xtrace
 
-RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL=${RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL:-0.9}
-
-# TODO(sdague): RPC backend selection is super wonky because we treat
-# messaging server as a service, which it really isn't for multi host
-QPID_HOST=${QPID_HOST:-}
-
-
 # Functions
 # ---------
 
-# Make sure we only have one rpc backend enabled.
-# Also check the specified rpc backend is available on your platform.
-function check_rpc_backend {
-    local c svc
-
-    local rpc_needed=1
-    # We rely on the fact that filenames in lib/* match the service names
-    # that can be passed as arguments to is_service_enabled.
-    # We check for a call to iniset_rpc_backend in these files, meaning
-    # the service needs a backend.
-    rpc_candidates=$(grep -rl iniset_rpc_backend $TOP_DIR/lib/ | awk -F/ '{print $NF}')
-    for c in ${rpc_candidates}; do
-        if is_service_enabled $c; then
-            rpc_needed=0
-            break
-        fi
-    done
-    local rpc_backend_cnt=0
-    for svc in qpid zeromq rabbit; do
-        is_service_enabled $svc &&
-        (( rpc_backend_cnt++ )) || true
-    done
-    if [ "$rpc_backend_cnt" -gt 1 ]; then
-        echo "ERROR: only one rpc backend may be enabled,"
-        echo "       set only one of 'rabbit', 'qpid', 'zeromq'"
-        echo "       via ENABLED_SERVICES."
-    elif [ "$rpc_backend_cnt" == 0 ] && [ "$rpc_needed" == 0 ]; then
-        echo "ERROR: at least one rpc backend must be enabled,"
-        echo "       set one of 'rabbit', 'qpid', 'zeromq'"
-        echo "       via ENABLED_SERVICES."
-    fi
-
-    if is_service_enabled qpid && ! qpid_is_supported; then
-        die $LINENO "Qpid support is not available for this version of your distribution."
-    fi
-}
-
 # clean up after rpc backend - eradicate all traces so changing backends
 # produces a clean switch
 function cleanup_rpc_backend {
@@ -79,110 +39,14 @@
             # And the Erlang runtime too
             apt_get purge -y erlang*
         fi
-    elif is_service_enabled qpid; then
-        if is_fedora; then
-            uninstall_package qpid-cpp-server
-        elif is_ubuntu; then
-            uninstall_package qpidd
-        else
-            exit_distro_not_supported "qpid installation"
-        fi
-    elif is_service_enabled zeromq; then
-        if is_fedora; then
-            uninstall_package zeromq python-zmq
-            if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-                uninstall_package redis python-redis
-            fi
-        elif is_ubuntu; then
-            uninstall_package libzmq1 python-zmq
-            if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-                uninstall_package redis-server python-redis
-            fi
-        elif is_suse; then
-            uninstall_package libzmq1 python-pyzmq
-            if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-                uninstall_package redis python-redis
-            fi
-        else
-            exit_distro_not_supported "zeromq installation"
-        fi
-    fi
-
-    # Remove the AMQP 1.0 messaging libraries
-    if [ "$RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL" == "AMQP1" ]; then
-        if is_fedora; then
-            uninstall_package qpid-proton-c-devel
-            uninstall_package python-qpid-proton
-        fi
-        # TODO(kgiusti) ubuntu cleanup
     fi
 }
 
 # install rpc backend
 function install_rpc_backend {
-    # Regardless of the broker used, if AMQP 1.0 is configured load
-    # the necessary messaging client libraries for oslo.messaging
-    if [ "$RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL" == "AMQP1" ]; then
-        if is_fedora; then
-            install_package qpid-proton-c-devel
-            install_package python-qpid-proton
-        elif is_ubuntu; then
-            # TODO(kgiusti) The QPID AMQP 1.0 protocol libraries
-            # are not yet in the ubuntu repos. Enable these installs
-            # once they are present:
-            #install_package libqpid-proton2-dev
-            #install_package python-qpid-proton
-            # Also add 'uninstall' directives in cleanup_rpc_backend()!
-            exit_distro_not_supported "QPID AMQP 1.0 Proton libraries"
-        else
-            exit_distro_not_supported "QPID AMQP 1.0 Proton libraries"
-        fi
-        # Install pyngus client API
-        # TODO(kgiusti) can remove once python qpid bindings are
-        # available on all supported platforms _and_ pyngus is added
-        # to the requirements.txt file in oslo.messaging
-        pip_install_gr pyngus
-    fi
-
     if is_service_enabled rabbit; then
         # Install rabbitmq-server
         install_package rabbitmq-server
-    elif is_service_enabled qpid; then
-        if is_fedora; then
-            install_package qpid-cpp-server
-        elif is_ubuntu; then
-            install_package qpidd
-        else
-            exit_distro_not_supported "qpid installation"
-        fi
-        _configure_qpid
-    elif is_service_enabled zeromq; then
-        if is_fedora; then
-            install_package zeromq python-zmq
-            if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-                install_package redis python-redis
-            fi
-        elif is_ubuntu; then
-            install_package libzmq1 python-zmq
-            if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-                install_package redis-server python-redis
-            fi
-        elif is_suse; then
-            install_package libzmq1 python-pyzmq
-            if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-                install_package redis python-redis
-            fi
-        else
-            exit_distro_not_supported "zeromq installation"
-        fi
-        # Necessary directory for socket location.
-        sudo mkdir -p /var/run/openstack
-        sudo chown $STACK_USER /var/run/openstack
-    fi
-
-    # If using the QPID broker, install the QPID python client API
-    if is_service_enabled qpid || [ -n "$QPID_HOST" ]; then
-        install_package python-qpid
     fi
 }
 
@@ -232,17 +96,12 @@
                 sudo rabbitmqctl set_permissions -p child_cell $RABBIT_USERID ".*" ".*" ".*"
             fi
         fi
-    elif is_service_enabled qpid; then
-        echo_summary "Starting qpid"
-        restart_service qpidd
     fi
 }
 
 # builds transport url string
 function get_transport_url {
-    if is_service_enabled qpid || [ -n "$QPID_HOST" ]; then
-        echo "qpid://$QPID_USERNAME:$QPID_PASSWORD@$QPID_HOST:5672/"
-    elif is_service_enabled rabbit || { [ -n "$RABBIT_HOST" ] && [ -n "$RABBIT_PASSWORD" ]; }; then
+    if is_service_enabled rabbit || { [ -n "$RABBIT_HOST" ] && [ -n "$RABBIT_PASSWORD" ]; }; then
         echo "rabbit://$RABBIT_USERID:$RABBIT_PASSWORD@$RABBIT_HOST:5672/"
     fi
 }
@@ -252,29 +111,7 @@
     local package=$1
     local file=$2
     local section=${3:-DEFAULT}
-    if is_service_enabled zeromq; then
-        iniset $file $section rpc_backend "zmq"
-        iniset $file $section rpc_zmq_host `hostname`
-        if [ "$ZEROMQ_MATCHMAKER" == "redis" ]; then
-            iniset $file $section rpc_zmq_matchmaker "redis"
-            MATCHMAKER_REDIS_HOST=${MATCHMAKER_REDIS_HOST:-127.0.0.1}
-            iniset $file matchmaker_redis host $MATCHMAKER_REDIS_HOST
-        else
-            die $LINENO "Other matchmaker drivers not supported"
-        fi
-    elif is_service_enabled qpid || [ -n "$QPID_HOST" ]; then
-        # For Qpid use the 'amqp' oslo.messaging transport when AMQP 1.0 is used
-        if [ "$RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL" == "AMQP1" ]; then
-            iniset $file $section rpc_backend "amqp"
-        else
-            iniset $file $section rpc_backend "qpid"
-        fi
-        iniset $file $section qpid_hostname ${QPID_HOST:-$SERVICE_HOST}
-        if [ -n "$QPID_USERNAME" ]; then
-            iniset $file $section qpid_username $QPID_USERNAME
-            iniset $file $section qpid_password $QPID_PASSWORD
-        fi
-    elif is_service_enabled rabbit || { [ -n "$RABBIT_HOST" ] && [ -n "$RABBIT_PASSWORD" ]; }; then
+    if is_service_enabled rabbit || { [ -n "$RABBIT_HOST" ] && [ -n "$RABBIT_PASSWORD" ]; }; then
         iniset $file $section rpc_backend "rabbit"
         iniset $file oslo_messaging_rabbit rabbit_hosts $RABBIT_HOST
         iniset $file oslo_messaging_rabbit rabbit_password $RABBIT_PASSWORD
@@ -288,17 +125,6 @@
     fi
 }
 
-# Check if qpid can be used on the current distro.
-# qpid_is_supported
-function qpid_is_supported {
-    if [[ -z "$DISTRO" ]]; then
-        GetDistro
-    fi
-
-    # Qpid is not in openSUSE
-    ( ! is_suse )
-}
-
 function rabbit_setuser {
     local user="$1" pass="$2" found="" out=""
     out=$(sudo rabbitmqctl list_users) ||
@@ -314,85 +140,6 @@
     sudo rabbitmqctl set_permissions "$user" ".*" ".*" ".*"
 }
 
-# Set up the various configuration files used by the qpidd broker
-function _configure_qpid {
-
-    # the location of the configuration files have changed since qpidd 0.14
-    local qpid_conf_file
-    if [ -e /etc/qpid/qpidd.conf ]; then
-        qpid_conf_file=/etc/qpid/qpidd.conf
-    elif [ -e /etc/qpidd.conf ]; then
-        qpid_conf_file=/etc/qpidd.conf
-    else
-        exit_distro_not_supported "qpidd.conf file not found!"
-    fi
-
-    # force the ACL file to a known location
-    local qpid_acl_file=/etc/qpid/qpidd.acl
-    if [ ! -e $qpid_acl_file ]; then
-        sudo mkdir -p -m 755 `dirname $qpid_acl_file`
-        sudo touch $qpid_acl_file
-        sudo chmod o+r $qpid_acl_file
-    fi
-    sudo sed -i.bak '/^acl-file=/d' $qpid_conf_file
-    echo "acl-file=$qpid_acl_file" | sudo tee --append $qpid_conf_file
-
-    sudo sed -i '/^auth=/d' $qpid_conf_file
-    if [ -z "$QPID_USERNAME" ]; then
-        # no QPID user configured, so disable authentication
-        # and access control
-        echo "auth=no" | sudo tee --append $qpid_conf_file
-        cat <<EOF | sudo tee $qpid_acl_file
-acl allow all all
-EOF
-    else
-        # Configure qpidd to use PLAIN authentication, and add
-        # QPID_USERNAME to the ACL:
-        echo "auth=yes" | sudo tee --append $qpid_conf_file
-        if [ -z "$QPID_PASSWORD" ]; then
-            read_password QPID_PASSWORD "ENTER A PASSWORD FOR QPID USER $QPID_USERNAME"
-        fi
-        # Create ACL to allow $QPID_USERNAME full access
-        cat <<EOF | sudo tee $qpid_acl_file
-group admin ${QPID_USERNAME}@QPID
-acl allow admin all
-acl deny all all
-EOF
-        # Add user to SASL database
-        if is_ubuntu; then
-            install_package sasl2-bin
-        elif is_fedora; then
-            install_package cyrus-sasl-lib
-            install_package cyrus-sasl-plain
-        fi
-        local sasl_conf_file=/etc/sasl2/qpidd.conf
-        sudo sed -i.bak '/PLAIN/!s/mech_list: /mech_list: PLAIN /' $sasl_conf_file
-        local sasl_db=`sudo grep sasldb_path $sasl_conf_file | cut -f 2 -d ":" | tr -d [:blank:]`
-        if [ ! -e $sasl_db ]; then
-            sudo mkdir -p -m 755 `dirname $sasl_db`
-        fi
-        echo $QPID_PASSWORD | sudo saslpasswd2 -c -p -f $sasl_db -u QPID $QPID_USERNAME
-        sudo chmod o+r $sasl_db
-    fi
-
-    # If AMQP 1.0 is specified, ensure that the version of the
-    # broker can support AMQP 1.0 and configure the queue and
-    # topic address patterns used by oslo.messaging.
-    if [ "$RPC_MESSAGING_PROTOCOL" == "AMQP1" ]; then
-        QPIDD=$(type -p qpidd)
-        if ! $QPIDD --help | grep -q "queue-patterns"; then
-            exit_distro_not_supported "qpidd with AMQP 1.0 support"
-        fi
-        if ! grep -q "queue-patterns=exclusive" $qpid_conf_file; then
-            cat <<EOF | sudo tee --append $qpid_conf_file
-queue-patterns=exclusive
-queue-patterns=unicast
-topic-patterns=broadcast
-EOF
-        fi
-    fi
-}
-
 # Restore xtrace
 $XTRACE