diff --git a/modules/project-factory/README.md b/modules/project-factory/README.md
index 35ea83723..777187a3f 100644
--- a/modules/project-factory/README.md
+++ b/modules/project-factory/README.md
@@ -428,6 +428,8 @@ service_accounts:
         - automation/rw
 automation:
   project: test-pf-teams-iac-0
+  # prefix used for automation resources can be explicitly set if needed
+  # prefix: test-pf-dev-tb-0-0
   service_accounts:
     rw:
       description: Team B app 0 read/write automation sa.
diff --git a/modules/project-factory/automation.tf b/modules/project-factory/automation.tf
index ed124988c..3c4b96152 100644
--- a/modules/project-factory/automation.tf
+++ b/modules/project-factory/automation.tf
@@ -21,8 +21,11 @@ locals {
     for k, v in local.projects :
     k => merge(try(v.automation.bucket, {}), {
       automation_project = v.automation.project
-      prefix             = v.prefix
-      project_name       = v.name
+      prefix = coalesce(
+        try(v.automation.prefix, null),
+        "${v.prefix}-${v.name}"
+      )
+      project_name = v.name
     }) if try(v.automation.bucket, null) != null
   }
   automation_sa = flatten([
@@ -30,9 +33,12 @@ locals {
       for ks, kv in try(v.automation.service_accounts, {}) : merge(kv, {
         automation_project = v.automation.project
         name               = ks
-        prefix             = v.prefix
-        project            = k
-        project_name       = v.name
+        prefix = coalesce(
+          try(v.automation.prefix, null),
+          "${v.prefix}-${v.name}"
+        )
+        project      = k
+        project_name = v.name
       })
     ]
   ])
@@ -45,7 +51,7 @@ module "automation-bucket" {
   # from the IAM dependency in the outputs of the main project
   project_id     = each.value.automation_project
   prefix         = each.value.prefix
-  name           = "${each.value.project_name}-tf-state"
+  name           = "tf-state"
   encryption_key = lookup(each.value, "encryption_key", null)
   iam = {
     for k, v in lookup(each.value, "iam", {}) : k => [
@@ -113,7 +119,7 @@ module "automation-service-accounts" {
   # from the IAM dependency in the outputs of the main project
   project_id  = each.value.automation_project
   prefix      = each.value.prefix
-  name        = "${each.value.project_name}-${each.value.name}"
+  name        = each.value.name
   description = lookup(each.value, "description", null)
   display_name = lookup(
     each.value,
diff --git a/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.json b/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.json
index 5dab3da3e..312dc2799 100644
--- a/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.json
+++ b/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.json
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
         "project"
       ],
       "properties": {
+        "prefix": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
         "project": {
           "type": "string"
         },
diff --git a/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.md b/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.md
index 795929797..ebd629ffc 100644
--- a/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.md
+++ b/modules/project-factory/schemas/project.schema.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 - **automation**: *object*
   <br>*additional properties: false*
+  - **prefix**: *string*
   - ⁺**project**: *string*
   - **bucket**: *reference([bucket](#refs-bucket))*
   - **service_accounts**: *object*
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@
     - **iam_self_roles**: *array*
       - items: *string*
     - **iam_project_roles**: *reference([iam_project_roles](#refs-iam_project_roles))*
+    - **iam_sa_roles**: *reference([iam_sa_roles](#refs-iam_sa_roles))*
 - **service_encryption_key_ids**: *object*
   <br>*additional properties: false*
   - **`^[a-z-]+\.googleapis\.com$`**: *array*