diff --git a/ansible/bifrost.yml b/ansible/bifrost.yml
index 2adedcc1da..ad02f05398 100644
--- a/ansible/bifrost.yml
+++ b/ansible/bifrost.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
 ---
-- import_playbook: detect-release.yml
-  vars:
-    detect_release_hosts: bifrost
-
 - name: Apply role bifrost
   hosts: bifrost
   roles:
diff --git a/ansible/detect-release.yml b/ansible/detect-release.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 406a544999..0000000000
--- a/ansible/detect-release.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
----
-- name: Detect openstack_release variable
-  hosts: "{{ detect_release_hosts }}"
-  gather_facts: false
-  tasks:
-    - name: Get current kolla-ansible version number
-      local_action: command python -c "import pbr.version; print(pbr.version.VersionInfo('kolla-ansible'))"
-      register: kolla_ansible_version
-      changed_when: false
-      when: openstack_release == "auto"
-
-    - name: Set openstack_release variable
-      set_fact:
-        openstack_release: "{{ kolla_ansible_version.stdout }}"
-      when: openstack_release == "auto"
-  tags: always
diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
index 97e03a93de..03d6954766 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ admin_protocol: "http"
 ####################
 # OpenStack options
 ####################
-openstack_release: "auto"
+openstack_release: "master"
 openstack_logging_debug: "False"
 
 openstack_region_name: "RegionOne"
diff --git a/ansible/mariadb_backup.yml b/ansible/mariadb_backup.yml
index f3a1218863..008726bd83 100644
--- a/ansible/mariadb_backup.yml
+++ b/ansible/mariadb_backup.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
 ---
-- import_playbook: detect-release.yml
-  vars:
-    detect_release_hosts: mariadb
-
 - name: Backup MariaDB
   hosts: mariadb
   roles:
diff --git a/ansible/mariadb_recovery.yml b/ansible/mariadb_recovery.yml
index a37bf9d5fc..68b489cebb 100644
--- a/ansible/mariadb_recovery.yml
+++ b/ansible/mariadb_recovery.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
 ---
-- import_playbook: detect-release.yml
-  vars:
-    detect_release_hosts: mariadb
-
 - name: Recover mariadb
   hosts: mariadb
   roles:
diff --git a/ansible/site.yml b/ansible/site.yml
index 362890eabe..22ff513bde 100644
--- a/ansible/site.yml
+++ b/ansible/site.yml
@@ -91,10 +91,6 @@
         - enable_zun_{{ enable_zun | bool }}
   tags: always
 
-- import_playbook: detect-release.yml
-  vars:
-    detect_release_hosts: openstack_release_auto
-
 - name: Apply role prechecks
   gather_facts: false
   # Apply only when kolla action is 'precheck'.
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deprecated-auto-detect-openstack_release-d96b5ae2fc27f5ac.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deprecated-auto-detect-openstack_release-d96b5ae2fc27f5ac.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2b80af363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deprecated-auto-detect-openstack_release-d96b5ae2fc27f5ac.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Modifies the default value for ``openstack_release`` from ``auto``
+    to the name of the release (e.g. ``train``), or ``master`` on the
+    master branch. The value of ``auto`` will no longer detect the
+    version of the ``kolla-ansible`` Python package.