diff --git a/doc/source/configuring.rst b/doc/source/configuring.rst
index b9c168d2cd..cf1f40784e 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuring.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuring.rst
@@ -670,6 +670,12 @@ Optional. Default: ``/``
 
 Virtual host to use for connection when using ``rabbit`` strategy.
 
+* ``rabbit_notification_exchange``
+
+Optional. Default: ``glance``
+
+Exchange name to use for connection when using ``rabbit`` strategy.
+
 * ``rabbit_notification_topic``
 
 Optional. Default: ``glance_notifications``
diff --git a/etc/glance-api.conf b/etc/glance-api.conf
index 3851d4406e..e1c4d81c6e 100644
--- a/etc/glance-api.conf
+++ b/etc/glance-api.conf
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ rabbit_use_ssl = false
 rabbit_userid = guest
 rabbit_password = guest
 rabbit_virtual_host = /
+rabbit_notification_exchange = glance
 rabbit_notification_topic = glance_notifications
 
 # ============ Filesystem Store Options ========================
diff --git a/glance/common/notifier.py b/glance/common/notifier.py
index 5d5ed83396..983e65cf4d 100644
--- a/glance/common/notifier.py
+++ b/glance/common/notifier.py
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import datetime
+import json
 import logging
 import socket
 import uuid
 
 import kombu.connection
+import kombu.entity
 
 from glance.common import cfg
 from glance.common import exception
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@ class RabbitStrategy(object):
         cfg.StrOpt('rabbit_userid', default='guest'),
         cfg.StrOpt('rabbit_password', default='guest'),
         cfg.StrOpt('rabbit_virtual_host', default='/'),
+        cfg.StrOpt('rabbit_notification_exchange', default='glance'),
         cfg.StrOpt('rabbit_notification_topic', default='glance_notifications')
         ]
 
@@ -76,20 +79,40 @@ def __init__(self, conf):
         self._conf = conf
         self._conf.register_opts(self.opts)
 
+        self.topic = self._conf.rabbit_notification_topic
+        self.connect()
+
+    def connect(self):
         self.connection = kombu.connection.BrokerConnection(
             hostname=self._conf.rabbit_host,
             userid=self._conf.rabbit_userid,
             password=self._conf.rabbit_password,
             virtual_host=self._conf.rabbit_virtual_host,
             ssl=self._conf.rabbit_use_ssl)
+        self.channel = self.connection.channel()
 
-        self.topic = self._conf.rabbit_notification_topic
+        self.exchange = kombu.entity.Exchange(
+            channel=self.channel,
+            type="topic",
+            name=self._conf.rabbit_notification_exchange)
+        self.exchange.declare()
 
     def _send_message(self, message, priority):
-        topic = "%s.%s" % (self.topic, priority)
-        queue = self.connection.SimpleQueue(topic)
-        queue.put(message, serializer="json")
-        queue.close()
+        routing_key = "%s.%s" % (self.topic, priority.lower())
+
+        # NOTE(jerdfelt): Normally the consumer would create the queue, but
+        # we do this to ensure that messages don't get dropped if the
+        # consumer is started after we do
+        queue = kombu.entity.Queue(
+            channel=self.channel,
+            exchange=self.exchange,
+            durable=True,
+            name=routing_key,
+            routing_key=routing_key)
+        queue.declare()
+
+        msg = self.exchange.Message(json.dumps(message))
+        self.exchange.publish(msg, routing_key=routing_key)
 
     def warn(self, msg):
         self._send_message(msg, "WARN")
diff --git a/glance/tests/unit/test_notifier.py b/glance/tests/unit/test_notifier.py
index a26114568e..824bf288c4 100644
--- a/glance/tests/unit/test_notifier.py
+++ b/glance/tests/unit/test_notifier.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ class TestRabbitNotifier(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         notifier.RabbitStrategy._send_message = self._send_message
+        notifier.RabbitStrategy.connect = lambda s: None
         self.called = False
         conf = utils.TestConfigOpts({"notifier_strategy": "rabbit"})
         self.notifier = notifier.Notifier(conf)