diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb b/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb
index cf1322268..ec5654333 100644
--- a/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb
@@ -1,2 +1,8 @@
 include_recipe "common::iptables"
 include_recipe "common::daemontools"
+
+require 'active_support'
+template "/usr/local/app/diaspora/config/initializers/secret_token.rb" do
+  source "secret_token.rb.erb"
+  variables :secret_token => ActiveSupport::SecureRandom.hex(40)
+end
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/common/templates/default/secret_token.rb.erb b/chef/cookbooks/common/templates/default/secret_token.rb.erb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef4543b33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/common/templates/default/secret_token.rb.erb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Rails.application.config.secret_token = '<%= @secret_token %>'