diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate.sh b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
index de863397..d46c160c 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ EOF
     if [ "$DEVSTACK_GATE_VIRT_DRIVER" == "ironic" ]; then
         echo "VIRT_DRIVER=ironic" >>localrc
         echo "IRONIC_BAREMETAL_BASIC_OPS=True" >>localrc
+        echo "IRONIC_VM_EPHEMERAL_DISK=1" >>localrc
         echo "DEFAULT_INSTANCE_TYPE=baremetal" >>localrc
     fi