diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index 0fb594c5425c3c2e1f5cf377957c4ebc127a59e0..b14471f731f929a2a178771ea82aa12e4f03f7f2 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -1,40 +1,5 @@
 # Auto-generated by the tools/mkowners/mkowners.py tool
 # Uses OWNERS files in different modules throughout the
 # repository as the source of truth for module ownership.
-/*.podspec @muxi @makdharma
-/binding.gyp @murgatroid99
-/Gemfile @murgatroid99
-/grpc.gemspec @murgatroid99
-/package.json @murgatroid99
-/Rakefile @murgatroid99
-/grpc.bzl @muxi @makdharma
+/**/OWNERS @markdroth @nicolasnoble @ctiller
 /bazel/** @nicolasnoble @dgquintas @ctiller
-/cmake/** @jtattermusch
-/doc/PROTOCOL-HTTP2.md @ejona86
-/doc/interop-test-descriptions.md @ejona86
-/etc/** @jboeuf @nicolasnoble
-/examples/node/** @murgatroid99
-/examples/objective-c/** @muxi @makdharma
-/examples/python/** @nathanielmanistaatgoogle @kpayson64 @mehrdada
-/include/** @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/src/core/** @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/src/core/lib/iomgr/*_uv.c @murgatroid99 @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/src/core/lib/iomgr/*_uv.h @murgatroid99 @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/src/cpp/** @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/src/csharp/** @jtattermusch @apolcyn
-/src/node/** @murgatroid99
-/src/objective-c/** @muxi @makdharma
-/src/php/** @stanley-cheung @murgatroid99
-/src/python/** @nathanielmanistaatgoogle @kpayson64 @mehrdada
-/src/python/grpcio/grpc_core_dependencies.py @a11y @ctiller @nicolasnoble @nathanielmanistaatgoogle @kpayson64 @mehrdada
-/src/ruby/** @apolcyn @murgatroid99
-/test/build/** @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/test/core/** @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/test/cpp/** @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/test/cpp/qps/** @vjpai @ctiller @markdroth @dgquintas
-/test/distrib/node/** @murgatroid99
-/tools/** @matt-kwong @jtattermusch @nicolasnoble
-/tools/codegen/core/** @ctiller @dgquintas @markdroth
-/tools/distrib/python/** @nathanielmanistaatgoogle @kpayson64 @mehrdada
-/tools/run_tests/artifacts/*_node* @murgatroid99 @matt-kwong @jtattermusch @nicolasnoble
-/tools/run_tests/helper_scripts/*_node* @murgatroid99 @matt-kwong @jtattermusch @nicolasnoble
diff --git a/OWNERS b/OWNERS
index f42b9870db8a5aedd7ff606dfb2c7a03cdd695fd..b19c6f3fbbe8a32ccb955cabcc3d463f6d33590f 100644
--- a/OWNERS
+++ b/OWNERS
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 # Top level ownership
 
-#@a11r
-#@nicolasnoble
-#@ctiller
+# nothing listed here until GitHub CODEOWNERS gets better
+# we need:
+# 1. owners to be able to self-approve
+# 2. authors to be able to select approvers
+
+@markdroth **/OWNERS
+@nicolasnoble **/OWNERS
+@ctiller **/OWNERS
 
-@murgatroid99 binding.gyp Gemfile grpc.gemspec package.json Rakefile
-@muxi *.podspec grpc.bzl
-@makdharma *.podspec grpc.bzl
diff --git a/cmake/OWNERS b/cmake/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index c0ae0533b350c4949ad511606b817623223dc686..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/cmake/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@jtattermusch
-
diff --git a/doc/OWNERS b/doc/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index f05861799e28df63c386b97a670bfabc71062bb8..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/doc/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@ejona86 PROTOCOL-HTTP2.md interop-test-descriptions.md
-
diff --git a/etc/OWNERS b/etc/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 2dfd7cd61e62619b44607b5833ed8236d6a6d5a2..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/etc/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@jboeuf
-@nicolasnoble
diff --git a/examples/node/OWNERS b/examples/node/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 567d1b6691c1104e49c70b64b7b167d257e29f3a..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/examples/node/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-@murgatroid99
diff --git a/examples/objective-c/OWNERS b/examples/objective-c/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index c14fe53c062014406efa75d72f43fd550d77abe1..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/examples/objective-c/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@muxi
-@makdharma
diff --git a/examples/python/OWNERS b/examples/python/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index ea3909e0a37ae142c0c45dcb7a7c900058691843..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/examples/python/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-
-@nathanielmanistaatgoogle
-@kpayson64
-@mehrdada
diff --git a/include/OWNERS b/include/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8dca75ce91618e3c236d726b994062f17948ca7f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/include/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-@ctiller
-@markdroth
-@dgquintas
-
diff --git a/src/core/OWNERS b/src/core/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 986c9a1c3c634522384ffd2d4e73791728804d6f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/core/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-@ctiller
-@markdroth
-@dgquintas
-
diff --git a/src/core/lib/iomgr/OWNERS b/src/core/lib/iomgr/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ee86c261829c70786086428de854285415442fb..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/core/lib/iomgr/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-@murgatroid99 *_uv.c *_uv.h
diff --git a/src/cpp/OWNERS b/src/cpp/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 986c9a1c3c634522384ffd2d4e73791728804d6f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/cpp/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-@ctiller
-@markdroth
-@dgquintas
-
diff --git a/src/csharp/OWNERS b/src/csharp/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index bde3ed985c8a83b3c2f309a610620fbef1ab0c32..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/csharp/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@jtattermusch
-@apolcyn
-
diff --git a/src/node/OWNERS b/src/node/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a49353d84543e3aebb2adff330f04428d0c0b68..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/node/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@murgatroid99
-
diff --git a/src/objective-c/OWNERS b/src/objective-c/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 2bc91186e757736c11428d301c37549e0b39c8d8..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/objective-c/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@muxi
-@makdharma
-
diff --git a/src/php/OWNERS b/src/php/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 7065b41132b1ad2ccb083d4aaa0dd30992225bda..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/php/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@stanley-cheung
-@murgatroid99
-
diff --git a/src/python/OWNERS b/src/python/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index ea3909e0a37ae142c0c45dcb7a7c900058691843..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/python/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-
-@nathanielmanistaatgoogle
-@kpayson64
-@mehrdada
diff --git a/src/python/grpcio/OWNERS b/src/python/grpcio/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 78d54ec96b31383120444d0b2ab11c48601af116..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/python/grpcio/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@a11y grpc_core_dependencies.py
-@ctiller grpc_core_dependencies.py
-@nicolasnoble grpc_core_dependencies.py
diff --git a/src/ruby/OWNERS b/src/ruby/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index b01fd8061e98409ff5f8e47ad5e3c2787f45c9f3..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/src/ruby/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@apolcyn
-@murgatroid99
-
diff --git a/test/build/OWNERS b/test/build/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8dca75ce91618e3c236d726b994062f17948ca7f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/test/build/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-@ctiller
-@markdroth
-@dgquintas
-
diff --git a/test/core/OWNERS b/test/core/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 986c9a1c3c634522384ffd2d4e73791728804d6f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/test/core/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-@ctiller
-@markdroth
-@dgquintas
-
diff --git a/test/cpp/OWNERS b/test/cpp/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 986c9a1c3c634522384ffd2d4e73791728804d6f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/test/cpp/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-@ctiller
-@markdroth
-@dgquintas
-
diff --git a/test/cpp/qps/OWNERS b/test/cpp/qps/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ccea9ad9b32e1b0a3e6a4a2286969239a86a399..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/test/cpp/qps/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@vjpai
-
diff --git a/test/distrib/node/OWNERS b/test/distrib/node/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 567d1b6691c1104e49c70b64b7b167d257e29f3a..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/test/distrib/node/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-@murgatroid99
diff --git a/tools/OWNERS b/tools/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8f6de536742cec9dbae007b04514d80ce138c8f7..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-@matt-kwong
-@jtattermusch
-@nicolasnoble
-
diff --git a/tools/codegen/core/OWNERS b/tools/codegen/core/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 17e66479b6e4284fd3e969d1cfd7dfac40ec7bf2..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/codegen/core/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-@ctiller
-@dgquintas
-@markdroth
-
diff --git a/tools/distrib/python/OWNERS b/tools/distrib/python/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index ea3909e0a37ae142c0c45dcb7a7c900058691843..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/distrib/python/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-set noparent
-
-@nathanielmanistaatgoogle
-@kpayson64
-@mehrdada
diff --git a/tools/dockerfile/OWNERS b/tools/dockerfile/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 20ee8085c212a1984ef8840a2a9d50c5440f403b..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/dockerfile/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-@matt-kwong
-@jtattermusch
-
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/OWNERS b/tools/run_tests/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8f6de536742cec9dbae007b04514d80ce138c8f7..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/run_tests/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-@matt-kwong
-@jtattermusch
-@nicolasnoble
-
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/artifacts/OWNERS b/tools/run_tests/artifacts/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 490031985eea5ad259be4f42a4a61a73071a1557..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/run_tests/artifacts/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-@murgatroid99 *_node*
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/helper_scripts/OWNERS b/tools/run_tests/helper_scripts/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 490031985eea5ad259be4f42a4a61a73071a1557..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tools/run_tests/helper_scripts/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-@murgatroid99 *_node*