diff --git a/roles/upload-pypi/README.rst b/roles/upload-pypi/README.rst
index 8c6f3da79..cbcc0dab1 100644
--- a/roles/upload-pypi/README.rst
+++ b/roles/upload-pypi/README.rst
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ Upload python packages to PyPI
   .. zuul:rolevar:: repository
      :default: pypi
 
-     Name of the repository to upload to
+     Name of the repository to upload to.
 
   .. zuul:rolevar:: repository_url
-     :default: https://pypi.python.org/pypi
+     :default: The built-in twine default for the production pypi.org service.
 
-     URL of the PyPI repostory
+     URL of the PyPI repostory.
 
 .. zuul:rolevar:: pypi_path
    :default: src/{{ zuul.project.canonical_name }}/dist
diff --git a/roles/upload-pypi/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/upload-pypi/defaults/main.yaml
index 4e71e83f5..c0cb93b96 100644
--- a/roles/upload-pypi/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/upload-pypi/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
 pypi_path: "src/{{ zuul.project.canonical_name }}/dist"
 pypi_repository: "{{ pypi_info.repository|default('pypi') }}"
-pypi_repository_url: "{{ pypi_info.repository_url|default('https://pypi.python.org/pypi') }}"
+pypi_repository_url: "{{ pypi_info.repository_url|default(None) }}"
 pypi_twine_executable: twine
diff --git a/roles/upload-pypi/templates/.pypirc.j2 b/roles/upload-pypi/templates/.pypirc.j2
index 3cc8ab2a2..03ccded83 100644
--- a/roles/upload-pypi/templates/.pypirc.j2
+++ b/roles/upload-pypi/templates/.pypirc.j2
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ index-servers=
   {{ pypi_repository }}
 
 [{{ pypi_repository }}]
+{% if pypi_repository_url %}
 repository:{{ pypi_repository_url }}
+{% endif %}
 username:{{ pypi_info.username }}
 password:{{ pypi_info.password }}