diff --git a/designate/api/__init__.py b/designate/api/__init__.py
index af8e08ce7..5903e7e2e 100644
--- a/designate/api/__init__.py
+++ b/designate/api/__init__.py
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ cfg.CONF.register_opts([
     cfg.StrOpt('auth_strategy', default='keystone',
                help='The strategy to use for auth. Supports noauth or '
                     'keystone'),
-    cfg.BoolOpt('enable-api-v1', default=True),
+    cfg.BoolOpt('enable-api-v1', default=False,
+                deprecated_for_removal=True,
+                deprecated_reason=("V1 API is being removed in a future"
+                "release")),
     cfg.BoolOpt('enable-api-v2', default=True),
     cfg.BoolOpt('enable-api-admin', default=False),
     cfg.IntOpt('max_header_line', default=16384,
diff --git a/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample b/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample
index d21a21547..6f006ea94 100644
--- a/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ debug = False
 #auth_strategy = keystone
 
 # Enable Version 1 API (deprecated)
-#enable_api_v1 = True
+#enable_api_v1 = False
 
 # Enabled API Version 1 extensions
 # Can be one or more of : diagnostics, quotas, reports, sync, touch
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/v1-disabled-ffebc0434fa0665f.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/v1-disabled-ffebc0434fa0665f.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7cda15e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/v1-disabled-ffebc0434fa0665f.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+critical:
+  - The ``v1`` API is now off by default. To re-enable the V1 API
+    please set ``enable_api_v1 = True`` in the ``[service:api]`` section
+    of your designate config file.