diff --git a/etc/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/ovs_neutron_plugin.ini b/etc/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/ovs_neutron_plugin.ini
index 2632a25aaf..ba5791dc15 100644
--- a/etc/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/ovs_neutron_plugin.ini
+++ b/etc/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/ovs_neutron_plugin.ini
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
 # polling_interval = 2
 
 # Minimize polling by monitoring ovsdb for interface changes
-# minimize_polling = False
+# minimize_polling = True
 
 # When minimize_polling = True, the number of seconds to wait before
 # respawning the ovsdb monitor after losing communication with it
diff --git a/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/common/config.py b/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/common/config.py
index 4b473943bb..038b347311 100644
--- a/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/common/config.py
+++ b/neutron/plugins/openvswitch/common/config.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ agent_opts = [
                help=_("The number of seconds the agent will wait between "
                       "polling for local device changes.")),
     cfg.BoolOpt('minimize_polling',
-                default=False,
+                default=True,
                 help=_("Minimize polling by monitoring ovsdb for interface "
                        "changes.")),
     cfg.IntOpt('ovsdb_monitor_respawn_interval',
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
index 1ffa79e012..d2ac269fed 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ class TestOvsNeutronAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
             'neutron.agent.linux.polling.get_polling_manager') as mock_get_pm:
             with mock.patch.object(self.agent, 'rpc_loop') as mock_loop:
                 self.agent.daemon_loop()
-        mock_get_pm.assert_called_with(False, 'sudo',
+        mock_get_pm.assert_called_with(True, 'sudo',
                                        constants.DEFAULT_OVSDBMON_RESPAWN)
         mock_loop.called_once()