diff --git a/elements/base/install.d/10-cloud-init b/elements/base/install.d/10-cloud-init
index 3eea9af9d..c4f879519 100755
--- a/elements/base/install.d/10-cloud-init
+++ b/elements/base/install.d/10-cloud-init
@@ -10,13 +10,7 @@ set -o pipefail
 # cloud-init May not actually be installed
 mkdir -p /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d
 
-if [ ! -v DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS ]; then
-    echo "WARNING: In the future the default setting for manage_etc_hosts will not be overridden by this element."
-    echo "WARNING: Set DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS to 'localhost' to preserve current behavior."
-fi
-
-DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS=${DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS-localhost}
-if [ -n "$DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS" ]; then
+if [ -n "${DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS:-}" ]; then
     dd of=/etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/10_etc_hosts.cfg << EOF
 manage_etc_hosts: $DIB_CLOUD_INIT_ETC_HOSTS
 EOF