diff --git a/doc/source/configuration/settings.rst b/doc/source/configuration/settings.rst
index afc537e004..bf3a215399 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration/settings.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration/settings.rst
@@ -2052,6 +2052,20 @@ This setting specifies the type of in-browser console used to access the VMs.
 Valid values are  ``"AUTO"``, ``"VNC"``, ``"SPICE"``, ``"RDP"``,
 ``"SERIAL"``, ``"MKS"``, and ``None``.
 
+DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+.. versionadded:: 18.1.0(Ussuri)
+
+Default: ``image``
+
+A default instance boot source. Allowed values are:
+
+* ``image`` - boot instance from image (default option)
+* ``snapshot`` - boot instance from instance snapshot
+* ``volume`` - boot instance from volume
+* ``volume_snapshot`` - boot instance from volume snapshot
+
 INSTANCE_LOG_LENGTH
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.js b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.js
index 4bf8dd70df..337558427a 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.js
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.js
@@ -247,6 +247,10 @@
         model.allowedBootSources.length = 0;
 
         var launchInstanceDefaults = settings.getSetting('LAUNCH_INSTANCE_DEFAULTS');
+        settings.getSetting('DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE').then(
+          function (response) {
+            model.defaultBootSource = response;
+          });
 
         promise = $q.all([
           novaAPI.getAvailabilityZones().then(onGetAvailabilityZones)
@@ -726,10 +730,13 @@
 
     function addAllowedBootSource(rawTypes, type, label) {
       if (rawTypes) {
+        var selected = model.defaultBootSource === type;
         model.allowedBootSources.push({
           type: type,
-          label: label
+          label: label,
+          selected: selected
         });
+
         model.allowedBootSources.sort(function(a, b) {
           return a.type > b.type;
         });
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.spec.js b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.spec.js
index f922c46258..b165413afd 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.spec.js
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/launch-instance-model.service.spec.js
@@ -170,12 +170,13 @@
               disable_instance_snapshot: false,
               disable_volume: false,
               disable_volume_snapshot: false
-            }
+            },
+            DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE: 'image'
           };
-          IMAGE = {type: 'image', label: 'Image'};
-          VOLUME = {type: 'volume', label: 'Volume'};
-          VOLUME_SNAPSHOT = {type: 'volume_snapshot', label: 'Volume Snapshot'};
-          INSTANCE_SNAPSHOT = {type: 'snapshot', label: 'Instance Snapshot'};
+          IMAGE = {type: 'image', label: 'Image', selected: true};
+          VOLUME = {type: 'volume', label: 'Volume', selected: false};
+          VOLUME_SNAPSHOT = {type: 'volume_snapshot', label: 'Volume Snapshot', selected: false};
+          INSTANCE_SNAPSHOT = {type: 'snapshot', label: 'Instance Snapshot', selected: false};
         });
         $provide.value('horizon.app.core.openstack-service-api.nova', novaApi);
 
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.js b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.js
index 186a2c2136..3975190b87 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.js
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.js
@@ -409,8 +409,8 @@
     );
 
     // When the allowedboot list changes, change the source_type
-    // and update the table for the new source selection. Only done
-    // with the first item for the list
+    // and update the table for the new source selection. The devault value is
+    // set by the DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE config option.
     // The boot source is changed only if the selected value is not included
     // in the updated list (newValue)
     var allowedBootSourcesWatcher = $scope.$watchCollection(
@@ -419,13 +419,14 @@
       },
       function changeBootSource(newValue) {
         if (angular.isArray(newValue) && newValue.length > 0 ) {
-          if (!$scope.model.newInstanceSpec.source_type ||
-              newValue.filter(function(value) {
-                return value.type === $scope.model.newInstanceSpec.source_type.type;
-              }).length === 0) {
-            updateBootSourceSelection(newValue[0].type);
-            $scope.model.newInstanceSpec.source_type = newValue[0];
+          var opt = newValue[0];
+          for (var index = 0; index < newValue.length; index++) {
+            if (newValue[index].selected) {
+              opt = newValue[index];
+            }
           }
+          updateBootSourceSelection(opt.type);
+          $scope.model.newInstanceSpec.source_type = opt;
         }
       }
     );
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.spec.js b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.spec.js
index 6bdfb98af3..5344428edb 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.spec.js
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/dashboards/project/static/dashboard/project/workflow/launch-instance/source/source.controller.spec.js
@@ -134,8 +134,10 @@
           expect(ctrl.currentBootSource).toBe('snapshot');
 
           // Change the allowed boot sources
-          scope.model.allowedBootSources = [{type: 'image', label: 'Image'},
-            {type: 'snapshot', label: 'Snapshot'}];
+          scope.model.allowedBootSources = [
+            {type: 'image', label: 'Image', selected: false},
+            {type: 'snapshot', label: 'Snapshot', selected: true}
+          ];
 
           scope.$apply();
 
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/defaults.py b/openstack_dashboard/defaults.py
index 51ef91ce1e..c81c3ab802 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/defaults.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/defaults.py
@@ -213,6 +213,10 @@ HORIZON_IMAGES_UPLOAD_MODE = 'legacy'
 # configuration and policies allow setting locations.
 IMAGES_ALLOW_LOCATION = False
 
+# A default instance boot source. Allowed values are: "image", "snapshot",
+# "volume" and "volume_snapshot"
+DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE = "image"
+
 # The IMAGE_CUSTOM_PROPERTY_TITLES settings is used to customize the titles for
 # image custom property attributes that appear on image detail pages.
 IMAGE_CUSTOM_PROPERTY_TITLES = {
@@ -522,6 +526,7 @@ ANGULAR_FEATURES = {
 # See: https://wiki.openstack.org/wiki/Horizon/RESTAPI
 REST_API_REQUIRED_SETTINGS = [
     'CREATE_IMAGE_DEFAULTS',
+    'DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE'
     'ENFORCE_PASSWORD_CHECK'
     'LAUNCH_INSTANCE_DEFAULTS',
     'OPENSTACK_HYPERVISOR_FEATURES',
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/default-instance-boot-source-0cd60b3090ef4b38.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/default-instance-boot-source-0cd60b3090ef4b38.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45b4251d93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/default-instance-boot-source-0cd60b3090ef4b38.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Introduced a new ``DEFAULT_BOOT_SOURCE`` config option to allow
+    operators to configure a default instance boot source.