diff --git a/etc/openstack_deploy/openstack_user_config.yml.example b/etc/openstack_deploy/openstack_user_config.yml.example
index 3d881f8630..d51bea9005 100644
--- a/etc/openstack_deploy/openstack_user_config.yml.example
+++ b/etc/openstack_deploy/openstack_user_config.yml.example
@@ -783,7 +783,6 @@
 # deployment. Refer to the ``user_variables.yml`` file for
 # more information.
 #
-# Keepalived pings a public IP address to check its status. The default
-# address is ``193.0.14.129``. To change this default,
-# set the ``keepalived_ping_address`` variable in the
+# Keepalived cam ping a public IP address to check its status.  To enable this
+# feature, set the ``keepalived_ping_address`` variable in the
 # ``user_variables.yml`` file.
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/haproxy/keepalived.yml b/inventory/group_vars/haproxy/keepalived.yml
index 977f8ee3e1..20e70de194 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/haproxy/keepalived.yml
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/haproxy/keepalived.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-keepalived_ping_address: "193.0.14.129"
 keepalived_ping_count: 1
 keepalived_ping_interval: 10
 keepalived_ubuntu_src: "native"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/remove-ping-checks-by-default-f86fc237e779b80e.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/remove-ping-checks-by-default-f86fc237e779b80e.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..13d856b776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/remove-ping-checks-by-default-f86fc237e779b80e.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - The ping check that happens inside keepalived to make sure that the server
+    that runs it can reach 193.0.14.129 has been removed by default.  The
+    functionality can continue to be used if you define the `keepalived_ping_address`
+    in your `user_variables.yml` file to `193.0.14.129` or any IP of your choice.