diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml
index 2d80abf33e..bf24c02f78 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ nova_pool_name: "{{ ceph_nova_pool_name }}"
 nova_pool_type: "{{ ceph_nova_pool_type }}"
 nova_cache_mode: "{{ ceph_nova_cache_mode }}"
 
+# Discard option for nova managed disks. Requires libvirt (1, 0, 6) or later and
+# qemu (1, 6, 0) or later. Set to "" to disable.
+nova_hw_disk_discard: "unmap"
+
 
 ####################
 # Database
diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2 b/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2
index 613c8d5cd9..6706d16e96 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2
@@ -174,7 +174,9 @@ images_rbd_pool = {{ ceph_nova_pool_name }}
 images_rbd_ceph_conf = /etc/ceph/ceph.conf
 rbd_user = nova
 disk_cachemodes="network=writeback"
-hw_disk_discard = unmap
+{% if nova_hw_disk_discard != '' %}
+hw_disk_discard = {{ nova_hw_disk_discard }}
+{% endif %}
 {% endif %}
 {% if nova_backend == "rbd" %}
 rbd_secret_uuid = {{ rbd_secret_uuid }}