gistfile1.txt

# In the master, I have:

file_roots:
    base:
    - /srv/salt/

# In /srv/salt/top.sls, I have (same as before):

base:
  '*':
    - motd

# In /srv/salt/motd/init.sls I have:

/etc/motd:
  file.managed:
    - source: salt://motd/files/motd
    - motd: 644
    - user: root
    - group: root
    - backup: minion

# …and in a plain file at /srv/motd/files/motd I have:

This is just some text.

# … but I'm getting the same error I had before:

$ sudo salt '*' state.sls motd

# …yields:

    Data failed to compile:
----------
    No matching sls found for 'motd' in env 'base'