diff --git a/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index 3e859226cb..7c478b009d 100644
--- a/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -1546,6 +1546,12 @@ class Connection(api.Connection):
                             'force=true to override.')
                 return 0, 0
 
+            if CONF.default_deploy_interface == 'iscsi':
+                LOG.warning('The iscsi deploy interface is the default, will '
+                            'not migrate nodes away from it. Run with '
+                            '--option force=true to override.')
+                return 0, 0
+
             if CONF.agent.image_download_source == 'swift':
                 LOG.warning('The direct deploy interface is using swift, will '
                             'not migrate nodes to it. Run with --option '
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py b/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
index 9252e1d59b..701d1afc48 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
@@ -290,6 +290,14 @@ class MigrateFromIscsiTestCase(base.DbTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             (0, 0), self.dbapi.migrate_from_iscsi_deploy(self.context, 0))
 
+    def test_migration_impossible3(self):
+        self.config(default_deploy_interface='iscsi')
+        for _i in range(3):
+            uuid = uuidutils.generate_uuid()
+            utils.create_test_node(uuid=uuid, deploy_interface='iscsi')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            (0, 0), self.dbapi.migrate_from_iscsi_deploy(self.context, 0))
+
     def test_force_migration(self):
         self.config(enabled_deploy_interfaces='iscsi')
         utils.create_test_node(deploy_interface='direct')