diff --git a/.dreck.yaml b/.dreck.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..12c8a4c4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dreck.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+features:
+  - aliases
+  - exec
+
+aliases:
+  - |
+    /plugin (.*) -> /label plugin/$1
+  - |
+    /wai -> /label works as intended
+  - |
+    /release (.*) -> /exec /opt/bin/release-coredns $1
diff --git a/CODEOWNERS b/CODEOWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67c24cd5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CODEOWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# @miekg, miek@miek.nl, project lead: 11/11/2020
+
+*                       @bradbeam @chrisohaver @dilyevsky @fastest963 @greenpau @grobie @isolus @johnbelamaric @miekg @pmoroney @rajansandeep @stp-ip @superq @yongtang
+
+/plugin/acl/            @miekg @ihac
+/plugin/any/            @miekg
+/plugin/auto/           @miekg @stp-ip
+/plugin/autopath/       @chrisohaver @miekg
+/plugin/azure/          @miekg @yongtang @darshanime
+/plugin/bind/           @miekg
+/plugin/bufsize/        @ykhr53
+/plugin/cache/          @grobie @miekg
+/plugin/cancel/         @miekg
+/plugin/chaos/          @miekg
+/plugin/clouddns/       @miekg @yongtang
+/plugin/dnssec/         @isolus @miekg
+/plugin/dnstap/         @varyoo @yongtang
+/plugin/erratic/        @miekg
+/plugin/errors/         @miekg
+/plugin/etcd/           @miekg @nitisht
+/plugin/file/           @miekg @yongtang @stp-ip
+/plugin/forward/        @grobie @johnbelamaric @miekg @rdrozhdzh
+/plugin/grpc/           @inigohu @miekg
+/plugin/health/         @fastest963 @miekg
+/plugin/hosts/          @johnbelamaric @pmoroney
+/plugin/k8s_external/   @miekg
+/plugin/kubernetes/     @bradbeam @chrisohaver @johnbelamaric @miekg @rajansandeep @yongtang
+/plugin/loadbalance/    @miekg
+/plugin/log/            @miekg @nchrisdk
+/plugin/loop/           @miekg @chrisohaver
+/plugin/metadata/       @ekleiner @miekg
+/plugin/metrics/        @fastest963 @miekg @superq @greenpau
+/plugin/nsid/           @yongtang
+/plugin/pprof/          @miekg
+/plugin/reload/         @johnbelamaric
+/plugin/rewrite/        @greenpau @johnbelamaric
+/plugin/root/           @miekg
+/plugin/route53/        @yongtang @dilyevsky
+/plugin/secondary/      @bradbeam @miekg
+/plugin/template/       @rtreffer
+/plugin/tls/            @johnbelamaric
+/plugin/trace/          @johnbelamaric
+/plugin/transfer/       @miekg @chrisohaver
+/plugin/whoami/         @miekg @chrisohaver
diff --git a/OWNERS b/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 7807a965a..000000000
--- a/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-approvers:
-  - bradbeam
-  - chrisohaver    # Infoblox | cohaver@infoblox.com
-  - dilyevsky
-  - fastest963
-  - greenpau
-  - grobie
-  - isolus
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - miekg          # miek@miek.nl | project lead: 11/11/2020
-  - pmoroney
-  - rajansandeep
-  - stp-ip
-  - superq
-  - yongtang
-
-features:
-  - comments
-  - reviewers
-  - aliases
-  - branches
-  - exec
-
-aliases:
-  - |
-    /plugin: (.*) -> /label add: plugin/$1
-  - |
-    /approve -> /lgtm
-  - |
-    /wai -> /label add: works as intended
-  - |
-    /release: (.*) -> /exec: /opt/bin/release-coredns $1
diff --git a/owners_generate.go b/owners_generate.go
index 10160febd..cc6208295 100644
--- a/owners_generate.go
+++ b/owners_generate.go
@@ -5,58 +5,29 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
-	"path"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
-
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	o := map[string]struct{}{}
-
 	// top-level OWNERS file
-	o, err := owners("OWNERS", o)
+	o, err := owners("CODEOWNERS")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	// each of the plugins, in case someone is not in the top-level one
-	err = filepath.Walk("plugin",
-		func(p string, i os.FileInfo, err error) error {
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			if i.IsDir() {
-				return nil
-			}
-			if path.Base(p) != "OWNERS" {
-				return nil
-			}
-			o, err = owners(p, o)
-			return err
-		})
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
-
-	// sort it and format it
-	list := []string{}
-	for k := range o {
-		list = append(list, k)
-	}
-	sort.Strings(list)
 	golist := `package chaos
 
 // Owners are all GitHub handlers of all maintainers.
 var Owners = []string{`
 	c := ", "
-	for i, a := range list {
-		if i == len(list)-1 {
+	for i, a := range o {
+		if i == len(o)-1 {
 			c = "}"
 		}
 		golist += fmt.Sprintf("%q%s", a, c)
@@ -70,27 +41,50 @@ var Owners = []string{`
 	return
 }
 
-// owners parses a owner file without knowing a whole lot about its structure.
-func owners(path string, owners map[string]struct{}) (map[string]struct{}, error) {
-	file, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+func owners(path string) ([]string, error) {
+	// simple line, by line based format
+	//
+	// # In this example, @doctocat owns any files in the build/logs
+	// # directory at the root of the repository and any of its
+	// # subdirectories.
+	// /build/logs/ @doctocat
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	c := yaml.MapSlice{}
-	err = yaml.Unmarshal(file, &c)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	for _, mi := range c {
-		key, ok := mi.Key.(string)
-		if !ok {
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(f)
+	users := map[string]struct{}{}
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		text := scanner.Text()
+		if len(text) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
-		if key == "approvers" {
-			for _, k := range mi.Value.([]interface{}) {
-				owners[k.(string)] = struct{}{}
+		if text[0] == '#' {
+			continue
+		}
+		ele := strings.Fields(text)
+		if len(ele) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// ok ele[0] is the path, the rest are (in our case) github usernames prefixed with @
+		for _, s := range ele[1:] {
+			if len(s) <= 1 {
+				continue
 			}
+			users[s[1:]] = struct{}{}
 		}
 	}
-	return owners, nil
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	u := []string{}
+	for k := range users {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(k, "@") {
+			k = k[1:]
+		}
+		u = append(u, k)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(u)
+	return u, nil
 }
diff --git a/plugin/acl/OWNERS b/plugin/acl/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index f43391c43..000000000
--- a/plugin/acl/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - ihac
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - ihac
diff --git a/plugin/any/OWNERS b/plugin/any/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/any/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/auto/OWNERS b/plugin/auto/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 3fc6bad85..000000000
--- a/plugin/auto/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - stp-ip
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/autopath/OWNERS b/plugin/autopath/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 187c629c9..000000000
--- a/plugin/autopath/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - chrisohaver
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - chrisohaver
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/azure/OWNERS b/plugin/azure/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index c30e67ae3..000000000
--- a/plugin/azure/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - yongtang
-  - darshanime
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - yongtang
-  - darshanime
diff --git a/plugin/bind/OWNERS b/plugin/bind/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/bind/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/bufsize/OWNERS b/plugin/bufsize/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index e40116eae..000000000
--- a/plugin/bufsize/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - ykhr53
-approvers:
-  - ykhr53
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugin/cache/OWNERS b/plugin/cache/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 6b9f2f0df..000000000
--- a/plugin/cache/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - grobie
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - grobie
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/cancel/OWNERS b/plugin/cancel/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/cancel/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/chaos/OWNERS b/plugin/chaos/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/chaos/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/clouddns/OWNERS b/plugin/clouddns/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 716e8641a..000000000
--- a/plugin/clouddns/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - yongtang
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - yongtang
diff --git a/plugin/dnssec/OWNERS b/plugin/dnssec/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 1bdb8e3d5..000000000
--- a/plugin/dnssec/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - isolus
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - isolus
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/dnstap/OWNERS b/plugin/dnstap/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 6f6724297..000000000
--- a/plugin/dnstap/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - varyoo
-  - yongtang
-approvers:
-  - varyoo
-  - yongtang
diff --git a/plugin/erratic/OWNERS b/plugin/erratic/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/erratic/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/errors/OWNERS b/plugin/errors/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/errors/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/etcd/OWNERS b/plugin/etcd/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 256b53f99..000000000
--- a/plugin/etcd/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - nitisht
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - nitisht
diff --git a/plugin/file/OWNERS b/plugin/file/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index b69d5c74f..000000000
--- a/plugin/file/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - yongtang
-  - stp-ip
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - yongtang
diff --git a/plugin/forward/OWNERS b/plugin/forward/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 201f57992..000000000
--- a/plugin/forward/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - grobie
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - miekg
-  - rdrozhdzh
-approvers:
-  - grobie
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - rdrozhdzh
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/grpc/OWNERS b/plugin/grpc/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 7b778f5bd..000000000
--- a/plugin/grpc/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - inigohu
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - inigohu
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/health/OWNERS b/plugin/health/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index d909fd451..000000000
--- a/plugin/health/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - fastest963
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - fastest963
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/hosts/OWNERS b/plugin/hosts/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index ae6484f9d..000000000
--- a/plugin/hosts/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - pmoroney
-approvers:
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - pmoroney
diff --git a/plugin/k8s_external/OWNERS b/plugin/k8s_external/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/k8s_external/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/kubernetes/OWNERS b/plugin/kubernetes/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index e662359c9..000000000
--- a/plugin/kubernetes/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - bradbeam
-  - chrisohaver
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - miekg
-  - rajansandeep
-  - yongtang
-approvers:
-  - bradbeam
-  - chrisohaver
-  - johnbelamaric
-  - miekg
-  - rajansandeep
-  - yongtang
diff --git a/plugin/loadbalance/OWNERS b/plugin/loadbalance/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/loadbalance/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/log/OWNERS b/plugin/log/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 06032ae2e..000000000
--- a/plugin/log/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - nchrisdk
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - nchrisdk
diff --git a/plugin/loop/OWNERS b/plugin/loop/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a4ef23a1..000000000
--- a/plugin/loop/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - chrisohaver
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - chrisohaver
diff --git a/plugin/metadata/OWNERS b/plugin/metadata/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 6d13ad9f1..000000000
--- a/plugin/metadata/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - ekleiner
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - ekleiner
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/metrics/OWNERS b/plugin/metrics/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 1b071c69e..000000000
--- a/plugin/metrics/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - fastest963
-  - miekg
-  - superq
-  - greenpau
-approvers:
-  - fastest963
-  - miekg
-  - superq
diff --git a/plugin/nsid/OWNERS b/plugin/nsid/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e0ca6d99..000000000
--- a/plugin/nsid/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - yongtang
-approvers:
-  - yongtang
diff --git a/plugin/pprof/OWNERS b/plugin/pprof/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/pprof/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/reload/OWNERS b/plugin/reload/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index f7f9ca271..000000000
--- a/plugin/reload/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - johnbelamaric
-approvers:
-  - johnbelamaric
diff --git a/plugin/rewrite/OWNERS b/plugin/rewrite/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index b77031d86..000000000
--- a/plugin/rewrite/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - greenpau
-  - johnbelamaric
-approvers:
-  - greenpau
-  - johnbelamaric
diff --git a/plugin/root/OWNERS b/plugin/root/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index eee46f686..000000000
--- a/plugin/root/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/route53/OWNERS b/plugin/route53/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index aba4fe3da..000000000
--- a/plugin/route53/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - yongtang
-  - dilyevsky
-approvers:
-  - yongtang
-  - dilyevsky
diff --git a/plugin/secondary/OWNERS b/plugin/secondary/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 252bba86c..000000000
--- a/plugin/secondary/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - bradbeam
-  - miekg
-approvers:
-  - bradbeam
-  - miekg
diff --git a/plugin/template/OWNERS b/plugin/template/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index b97eccf62..000000000
--- a/plugin/template/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - rtreffer
-approvers:
-  - rtreffer
diff --git a/plugin/tls/OWNERS b/plugin/tls/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index f7f9ca271..000000000
--- a/plugin/tls/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - johnbelamaric
-approvers:
-  - johnbelamaric
diff --git a/plugin/trace/OWNERS b/plugin/trace/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index f7f9ca271..000000000
--- a/plugin/trace/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - johnbelamaric
-approvers:
-  - johnbelamaric
diff --git a/plugin/transfer/OWNERS b/plugin/transfer/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a4ef23a1..000000000
--- a/plugin/transfer/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - chrisohaver
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - chrisohaver
diff --git a/plugin/whoami/OWNERS b/plugin/whoami/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a4ef23a1..000000000
--- a/plugin/whoami/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-reviewers:
-  - miekg
-  - chrisohaver
-approvers:
-  - miekg
-  - chrisohaver