diff --git a/designate/notification_handler/neutron.py b/designate/notification_handler/neutron.py
index f421c766f..e9160fbe4 100644
--- a/designate/notification_handler/neutron.py
+++ b/designate/notification_handler/neutron.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ cfg.CONF.register_group(cfg.OptGroup(
 ))
 
 cfg.CONF.register_opts([
-    cfg.ListOpt('notification-topics', default=['monitor']),
+    cfg.ListOpt('notification-topics', default=['notifications']),
     cfg.StrOpt('control-exchange', default='neutron'),
     cfg.StrOpt('domain-id', default=None),
     cfg.StrOpt('format', default=None)
diff --git a/designate/notification_handler/nova.py b/designate/notification_handler/nova.py
index 476e3a26b..b4e00a85a 100644
--- a/designate/notification_handler/nova.py
+++ b/designate/notification_handler/nova.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ cfg.CONF.register_group(cfg.OptGroup(
 ))
 
 cfg.CONF.register_opts([
-    cfg.ListOpt('notification-topics', default=['monitor']),
+    cfg.ListOpt('notification-topics', default=['notifications']),
     cfg.StrOpt('control-exchange', default='nova'),
     cfg.StrOpt('domain-id', default=None),
     cfg.StrOpt('format', default=None)
diff --git a/doc/source/configuration.rst b/doc/source/configuration.rst
index d614c0b73..5e7b4873b 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration.rst
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ Handler - Nova *
 ===========================  ====================================  ==============================================================
 Parameter                    Default                               Note
 ===========================  ====================================  ==============================================================
-notification_topics          monitor                               Notification Topics
+notification_topics          notifications                         Notification Topics
 control_exchange             nova                                  Nova Control Exchange
 domain_id                    None                                  UUID of a domain/zone where records are to be created/deleted
 format                       None                                  you can use any field in the notification message,
diff --git a/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample b/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample
index 74f380bf7..edb6d3303 100644
--- a/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/designate/designate.conf.sample
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ debug = False
 #-----------------------
 [handler:nova_fixed]
 #domain_id = <random uuid>
-#notification_topics = monitor
+#notification_topics = notifications
 #control_exchange = 'nova'
 #format = '%(octet0)s-%(octet1)s-%(octet2)s-%(octet3)s.%(domain)s'
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ debug = False
 #------------------------
 [handler:neutron_floatingip]
 #domain_id = <random uuid>
-#notification_topics = monitor
+#notification_topics = notifications
 #control_exchange = 'neutron'
 #format = '%(octet0)s-%(octet1)s-%(octet2)s-%(octet3)s.%(domain)s'