diff --git a/nova/openstack/common/config/generator.py b/nova/openstack/common/config/generator.py
index ddc477376a..0fc8d72932 100644
--- a/nova/openstack/common/config/generator.py
+++ b/nova/openstack/common/config/generator.py
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ import textwrap
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
 
+from nova.openstack.common import gettextutils
 from nova.openstack.common import importutils
 
+gettextutils.install('nova')
 
 STROPT = "StrOpt"
 BOOLOPT = "BoolOpt"
diff --git a/tools/config/generate_sample.sh b/tools/config/generate_sample.sh
index 7b145e6882..643006f80f 100755
--- a/tools/config/generate_sample.sh
+++ b/tools/config/generate_sample.sh
@@ -18,12 +18,9 @@ while true; do
             echo ""
             echo "options:"
             echo "-h, --help                show brief help"
-            echo "-b, --base-dir=DIR        Project base directory (required)"
-            echo "-p, --package-name=NAME   Project package name"
-            echo "-o, --output-dir=DIR      File output directory"
-            echo ""
-            echo "To generate a new config, try:"
-            echo "   ${0##*/} -b ./ -p nova -o etc/nova/"
+            echo "-b, --base-dir=DIR        project base directory"
+            echo "-p, --package-name=NAME   project package name"
+            echo "-o, --output-dir=DIR      file output directory"
             exit 0
             ;;
         -b|--base-dir)
@@ -47,26 +44,43 @@ while true; do
     esac
 done
 
-if [ -z $BASEDIR ] || ! [ -d $BASEDIR ]
+BASEDIR=${BASEDIR:-`pwd`}
+if ! [ -d $BASEDIR ]
 then
     echo "${0##*/}: missing project base directory" >&2 ; print_hint ; exit 1
+elif [[ $BASEDIR != /* ]]
+then
+    BASEDIR=$(cd "$BASEDIR" && pwd)
 fi
 
 PACKAGENAME=${PACKAGENAME:-${BASEDIR##*/}}
+TARGETDIR=$BASEDIR/$PACKAGENAME
+if ! [ -d $TARGETDIR ]
+then
+    echo "${0##*/}: invalid project package name" >&2 ; print_hint ; exit 1
+fi
 
 OUTPUTDIR=${OUTPUTDIR:-$BASEDIR/etc}
-if ! [ -d $OUTPUTDIR ]
+# NOTE(bnemec): Some projects put their sample config in etc/,
+#               some in etc/$PACKAGENAME/
+if [ -d $OUTPUTDIR/$PACKAGENAME ]
+then
+    OUTPUTDIR=$OUTPUTDIR/$PACKAGENAME
+elif ! [ -d $OUTPUTDIR ]
 then
     echo "${0##*/}: cannot access \`$OUTPUTDIR': No such file or directory" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
 
 BASEDIRESC=`echo $BASEDIR | sed -e 's/\//\\\\\//g'`
-FILES=$(find $BASEDIR/$PACKAGENAME -type f -name "*.py" ! -path "*/tests/*" \
+FILES=$(find $TARGETDIR -type f -name "*.py" ! -path "*/tests/*" \
         -exec grep -l "Opt(" {} + | sed -e "s/^$BASEDIRESC\///g" | sort -u)
 
 export EVENTLET_NO_GREENDNS=yes
 
+OS_VARS=$(set | sed -n '/^OS_/s/=[^=]*$//gp' | xargs)
+[ "$OS_VARS" ] && eval "unset \$OS_VARS"
+
 MODULEPATH=nova.openstack.common.config.generator
 OUTPUTFILE=$OUTPUTDIR/$PACKAGENAME.conf.sample
 python -m $MODULEPATH $FILES > $OUTPUTFILE