diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/default-to-native-ovsdb-driver-112fb5adf6e19a30.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/default-to-native-ovsdb-driver-112fb5adf6e19a30.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4af98564
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/default-to-native-ovsdb-driver-112fb5adf6e19a30.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - |
+    The ``vsctl`` ovsdb driver is now deprecated for removal.
+    The default ovsdb interface has now been updated to ``native``.
+    This will use the ovs python binding instead of invoking
+    the ``ovs-vsctl`` CLI. The ``native`` backend both outperforms
+    the ``vsctl`` backend and require no elevated privileges to
+    configure the ovsdb. This both improves security and
+    reduces plug and unplug time.
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    os-vif now uses the ``native`` ovsdb driver instead of ``vsctl`` driver.
+    This reduces the number of privileged call that os-vif need to make
+    and generally improves plugging performance. In future release the
+    ``vsctl`` backend will be removed.
diff --git a/vif_plug_ovs/ovs.py b/vif_plug_ovs/ovs.py
index 180bc4c2..235f2431 100644
--- a/vif_plug_ovs/ovs.py
+++ b/vif_plug_ovs/ovs.py
@@ -64,7 +64,15 @@ class OvsPlugin(plugin.PluginBase):
                    'the ovsdb endpoint used.'),
         cfg.StrOpt('ovsdb_interface',
                    choices=list(ovsdb_api.interface_map),
-                   default='vsctl',
+                   default='native',
+                   deprecated_for_removal=True,
+                   deprecated_since='2.2.0',
+                   deprecated_reason="""
+                   os-vif has supported ovsdb access via python bindings
+                   since Stein (1.15.0), starting in Victoria (2.2.0) the
+                   ovs-vsctl driver is now deprecated for removal and
+                   in future releases it will be be removed.
+                   """,
                    help='The interface for interacting with the OVSDB'),
         # NOTE(sean-k-mooney): This value is a bool for two reasons.
         # First I want to allow this config option to be reusable with
diff --git a/vif_plug_ovs/ovsdb/ovsdb_lib.py b/vif_plug_ovs/ovsdb/ovsdb_lib.py
index 8f481939..853b7662 100644
--- a/vif_plug_ovs/ovsdb/ovsdb_lib.py
+++ b/vif_plug_ovs/ovsdb/ovsdb_lib.py
@@ -28,7 +28,18 @@ class BaseOVS(object):
         self.timeout = config.ovs_vsctl_timeout
         self.connection = config.ovsdb_connection
         self.interface = config.ovsdb_interface
-        self.ovsdb = ovsdb_api.get_instance(self)
+        self._ovsdb = None
+
+    # NOTE(sean-k-mooney): when using the native ovsdb bindings
+    # creating an instance of the ovsdb api connects to the ovsdb
+    # to initialize the library based on the schema version
+    # of the ovsdb. To avoid that we lazy load the ovsdb
+    # instance the first time we need it via a property.
+    @property
+    def ovsdb(self):
+        if not self._ovsdb:
+            self._ovsdb = ovsdb_api.get_instance(self)
+        return self._ovsdb
 
     def _ovs_supports_mtu_requests(self):
         return self.ovsdb.has_table_column('Interface', 'mtu_request')