diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all/controllers b/ansible/group_vars/all/controllers
index 4d278a911..4cdb50685 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all/controllers
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all/controllers
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ controller_default_network_interfaces: >
       inspection_net_name,
       internal_net_name,
       storage_net_name,
-      storage_mgmt_net_name,
       ceph_storage_net_name,
       swift_storage_net_name,
       cleaning_net_name] | reject('none') | unique | list }}
diff --git a/doc/source/configuration/network.rst b/doc/source/configuration/network.rst
index 04434cdf5..7ebe15f15 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration/network.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration/network.rst
@@ -722,7 +722,6 @@ By default, controllers are attached to the following networks:
 * workload (compute) cleaning network
 * internal network
 * storage network
-* storage management network
 
 In addition, if the controllers are also in the ``network`` group, they are
 attached to the following networks:
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/controllers/network-interfaces b/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/controllers/network-interfaces
index 3bd95e1ef..902023cfb 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/controllers/network-interfaces
+++ b/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/controllers/network-interfaces
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@
 # storage_net_bridge_ports:
 # storage_net_bond_slaves:
 
-# Storage management network IP information.
-# storage_mgmt_net_interface:
-# storage_mgmt_net_bridge_ports:
-# storage_mgmt_net_bond_slaves:
-
 # Storage network IP information.
 # ceph_storage_net_interface:
 # ceph_storage_net_bridge_ports:
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/seed/network-interfaces b/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/seed/network-interfaces
index d1bde9faf..69207a3c3 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/seed/network-interfaces
+++ b/etc/kayobe/inventory/group_vars/seed/network-interfaces
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@
 # storage_net_bridge_ports:
 # storage_net_bond_slaves:
 
-# Storage management network IP information.
-# storage_mgmt_net_interface:
-# storage_mgmt_net_bridge_ports:
-# storage_mgmt_net_bond_slaves:
-
 ###############################################################################
 # Dummy variable to allow Ansible to accept this file.
 workaround_ansible_issue_8743: yes
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/remove-storage-mgmt-net-from-controllers-8f9c1d252d9f318b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/remove-storage-mgmt-net-from-controllers-8f9c1d252d9f318b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1143e348
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/remove-storage-mgmt-net-from-controllers-8f9c1d252d9f318b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Controllers are no longer connected to the storage management network by
+    default, since generally only storage nodes need access to this network. If
+    needed, the existing configuration can be retained by adding the storage
+    management network to the ``controller_extra_network_interfaces`` list.