diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
index 8ddb843396..01dc105818 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -392,6 +392,8 @@ mariadb_sst_port: "4444"
 mariadb_clustercheck_port: "4569"
 mariadb_monitor_user: "{{ 'monitor' if enable_proxysql | bool else 'haproxy' }}"
 
+mariadb_datadir_volume: "mariadb"
+
 mariadb_default_database_shard_id: 0
 mariadb_default_database_shard_hosts: "{% set default_shard = [] %}{% for host in groups['mariadb'] %}{% if hostvars[host]['mariadb_shard_id'] is not defined or hostvars[host]['mariadb_shard_id'] == mariadb_default_database_shard_id %}{{ default_shard.append(host) }}{% endif %}{% endfor %}{{ default_shard }}"
 mariadb_shard_id: "{{ mariadb_default_database_shard_id }}"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/mariadb/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/mariadb/defaults/main.yml
index 5e8c7d9a1b..eaa318963b 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/mariadb/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/mariadb/defaults/main.yml
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ mariadb_default_volumes:
   - "{{ node_config_directory }}/mariadb/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
   - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
   - "{{ '/etc/timezone:/etc/timezone:ro' if ansible_facts.os_family == 'Debian' else '' }}"
-  - "mariadb:/var/lib/mysql"
+  - "{{ mariadb_datadir_volume }}:/var/lib/mysql"
   - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
 mariadb_clustercheck_default_volumes:
   - "{{ node_config_directory }}/mariadb-clustercheck/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/mariadb_datadir_volum-c9a597766c2c8bc8.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/mariadb_datadir_volum-c9a597766c2c8bc8.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f699f7ad45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/mariadb_datadir_volum-c9a597766c2c8bc8.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    With the parameter ``mariadb_datadir_volume`` it is possible
+    to use a directory as volume for the mariadb service. By default,
+    a volume named mariadb is used (the previous default).