diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b6d799e..6b47b3a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -263,12 +263,13 @@ endif
 device-map: $(RAW_IMAGE)
 	echo '(hd0) ' $(RAW_IMAGE) > device-map
 
-image: software device-map grub.shell grub dev.tar.bz2
+image: software device-map grub.shell grub dev.tar.bz2 motd.sh
 	mkdir -p loop
 	mount -o noatime $(NBD_DEV)p1 loop
 	mkdir -p gentoo
 	mount -o bind $(CHROOT) gentoo
 	rsync -ax $(COPY_ARGS) gentoo/ loop/
+	./motd.sh $(EXTERNAL_KERNEL) $(VIRTIO) $(DISK_SIZE) $(SWAP_SIZE) $(UDEV) $(DASH) $(ARCH) > loop/etc/motd
 ifneq ($(EXTERNAL_KERNEL),YES)
 	loop/sbin/grub --device-map=device-map --no-floppy --batch < grub.shell
 endif
diff --git a/base/package.use b/base/package.use
index d11b9df..156bb70 100644
--- a/base/package.use
+++ b/base/package.use
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 app-editors/nano ncurses
 dev-lang/python ssl threads xml
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
 net-misc/dhcp client
diff --git a/gnome/package.use b/gnome/package.use
index 0d5a8a0..0c0a916 100644
--- a/gnome/package.use
+++ b/gnome/package.use
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 app-editors/nano ncurses
 dev-lang/python ssl sqlite threads xml
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
 
diff --git a/hemp-node/package.use b/hemp-node/package.use
index 77a0771..56d8651 100644
--- a/hemp-node/package.use
+++ b/hemp-node/package.use
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 app-editors/nano ncurses
 dev-lang/python ssl threads xml
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
diff --git a/kde/package.use b/kde/package.use
index 4ac09c1..6ca6612 100644
--- a/kde/package.use
+++ b/kde/package.use
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ app-editors/nano ncurses
 dev-lang/python ssl threads xml
 mail-mta/ssmtp mta
 net-misc/dhcp client
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
 
diff --git a/lodgeit/package.use b/lodgeit/package.use
index b42afcf..d4f64ad 100644
--- a/lodgeit/package.use
+++ b/lodgeit/package.use
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 app-editors/nano ncurses
 dev-db/sqlite extensions
 dev-lang/python sqlite ssl threads xml
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
diff --git a/motd.sh b/motd.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..cb9a3dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/motd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Script for creating the motd on a virtual appliance image
+
+EXTERNAL_KERNEL=$1
+VIRTIO=$2
+DISK_SIZE=$3
+SWAP_SIZE=$4
+UDEV=$5
+DASH=$6
+ARCH=$7
+
+TZ=$TIMEZONE ; export TZ
+
+cat << EOF
+
+ Welcome to ${HOSTNAME}!
+ 
+ This system created by Gentoo Virtual Appliance:
+ 
+               https://bitbucket.org/marduk/virtual-appliance/
+ 
+ The system image was built on `date -u +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M %Z"` based on the "${APPLIANCE}"
+ appliance. It was built with the following features:
+ 
+EOF
+cat << EOF | column -c80
+ APPLIANCE: ${APPLIANCE}
+ ARCH: ${ARCH}
+ HOSTNAME: ${HOSTNAME}
+ HEADLESS: ${HEADLESS}
+ EXTERNAL_KERNEL: ${EXTERNAL_KERNEL}
+ VIRTIO: ${VIRTIO}
+ DISK_SIZE: ${DISK_SIZE}
+ SWAP_SIZE: ${SWAP_SIZE}M
+ UDEV: ${UDEV}
+ DASH: ${DASH}
+EOF
+echo
diff --git a/teamplayer/package.use b/teamplayer/package.use
index 1761eae..fefef2e 100644
--- a/teamplayer/package.use
+++ b/teamplayer/package.use
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ dev-python/django postgres
 media-libs/flac ogg
 media-sound/mpd audiofile ffmpeg flac id3tag lame network ogg vorbis mad sqlite 
 media-video/ffmpeg mmx mxext mp3 network x264 
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
 virtual/ffmpeg x264 mp3
diff --git a/x/package.use b/x/package.use
index 20961b7..223dd91 100644
--- a/x/package.use
+++ b/x/package.use
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 dev-lang/python xml
 dev-libs/libxml2 python
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
 x11-base/xorg-server xorg
diff --git a/xfce/package.use b/xfce/package.use
index bf4674e..a73850b 100644
--- a/xfce/package.use
+++ b/xfce/package.use
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 app-editors/nano ncurses
 dev-lang/python ssl threads xml
 net-misc/dhcp client
-sys-auth/pambase minimal
 sys-kernel/gentoo-sources symlink
 sys-libs/ncurses minimal
 www-client/firefox bindist