diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all/kolla b/ansible/group_vars/all/kolla
index 97a898343..e1fb3e6b7 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all/kolla
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all/kolla
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ kolla_ansible_group: kolla
 
 # Whether to use privilege escalation for all operations performed via Kolla
 # Ansible.
-kolla_ansible_become: true
+kolla_ansible_become: false
 
 ###############################################################################
 # Kolla feature flag configuration.
diff --git a/ansible/roles/kolla-ansible/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/kolla-ansible/defaults/main.yml
index 13e1eb94d..f50afd5a2 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/kolla-ansible/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/kolla-ansible/defaults/main.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ kolla_ansible_group: kolla
 
 # Whether to use privilege escalation for all operations performed via Kolla
 # Ansible.
-kolla_ansible_become: true
+kolla_ansible_become: false
 
 ###############################################################################
 # Kolla-ansible inventory configuration.
diff --git a/doc/source/configuration/kolla-ansible.rst b/doc/source/configuration/kolla-ansible.rst
index 6ac667c98..6e235b211 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration/kolla-ansible.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration/kolla-ansible.rst
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ The following variables affect how Ansible accesses the remote hosts.
     Primary group of Kolla SSH user. Default is ``kolla``.
 ``kolla_ansible_become``
     Whether to use privilege escalation for all operations performed via Kolla
-    Ansible. Default is ``true``.
+    Ansible. Default is ``false`` since the 8.0.0 Ussuri release.
 ``kolla_ansible_target_venv``
     Path to a virtual environment on remote hosts to use for Ansible module
     execution. Default is ``{{ virtualenv_path }}/kolla-ansible``. May be set
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/kolla.yml b/etc/kayobe/kolla.yml
index 60ab7e4c4..f5eb9a999 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/kolla.yml
+++ b/etc/kayobe/kolla.yml
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@
 #kolla_ansible_group:
 
 # Whether to use privilege escalation for all operations performed via Kolla
-# Ansible. Default is 'true'.
+# Ansible. Default is 'false'.
 #kolla_ansible_become:
 
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/kolla-ansible-become-false-95aa88edd3c8c259.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/kolla-ansible-become-false-95aa88edd3c8c259.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4521ef6db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/kolla-ansible-become-false-95aa88edd3c8c259.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Modifies the default value of ``kolla_ansible_become`` to ``false``. This
+    means that Kolla Ansible will no longer use privilege escalation for all
+    tasks, and will only use it where necessary.