diff --git a/neutron/common/config.py b/neutron/common/config.py
index 0ed50919138..e9eca9b27ba 100644
--- a/neutron/common/config.py
+++ b/neutron/common/config.py
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ core_opts = [
                       "octet is not 00, it will also be used. The others "
                       "will be randomly generated.")),
     cfg.IntOpt('mac_generation_retries', default=16,
-               help=_("How many times Neutron will retry MAC generation")),
+               deprecated_for_removal=True,
+               help=_("How many times Neutron will retry MAC generation. This "
+                      "option is now obsolete and so is deprecated to be "
+                      "removed in the Ocata release.")),
     cfg.BoolOpt('allow_bulk', default=True,
                 help=_("Allow the usage of the bulk API")),
     cfg.BoolOpt('allow_pagination', default=api.DEFAULT_ALLOW_PAGINATION,
diff --git a/neutron/db/dvr_mac_db.py b/neutron/db/dvr_mac_db.py
index 08cceb3ac47..715e05ef51c 100644
--- a/neutron/db/dvr_mac_db.py
+++ b/neutron/db/dvr_mac_db.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from neutron.callbacks import events
 from neutron.callbacks import registry
 from neutron.callbacks import resources
 from neutron.common import utils
+from neutron.db import api as db_api
 from neutron.db import model_base
 from neutron.db import models_v2
 from neutron.extensions import dvr as ext_dvr
@@ -115,8 +116,7 @@ class DVRDbMixin(ext_dvr.DVRMacAddressPluginBase):
     def _create_dvr_mac_address(self, context, host):
         """Create DVR mac address for a given host."""
         base_mac = cfg.CONF.dvr_base_mac.split(':')
-        max_retries = cfg.CONF.mac_generation_retries
-        for attempt in reversed(range(max_retries)):
+        for attempt in reversed(range(db_api.MAX_RETRIES)):
             try:
                 with context.session.begin(subtransactions=True):
                     mac_address = utils.get_random_mac(base_mac)
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ class DVRDbMixin(ext_dvr.DVRMacAddressPluginBase):
                 LOG.debug("Generated DVR mac %(mac)s exists."
                           " Remaining attempts %(attempts_left)s.",
                           {'mac': mac_address, 'attempts_left': attempt})
-        LOG.error(_LE("MAC generation error after %s attempts"), max_retries)
+        LOG.error(_LE("MAC generation error after %s attempts"),
+                  db_api.MAX_RETRIES)
         raise ext_dvr.MacAddressGenerationFailure(host=host)
 
     def get_dvr_mac_address_list(self, context):
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_dvr_mac_db.py b/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_dvr_mac_db.py
index 397488aecee..1af3c29bd81 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_dvr_mac_db.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_dvr_mac_db.py
@@ -69,15 +69,12 @@ class DvrDbMixinTestCase(test_plugin.Ml2PluginV2TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(expected, entry)
 
     def test__create_dvr_mac_address_retries_exceeded_retry_logic(self):
-        new_retries = 8
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('mac_generation_retries', new_retries)
         self._create_dvr_mac_entry('foo_host_1', 'non_unique_mac')
         with mock.patch.object(dvr_mac_db.utils, 'get_random_mac') as f:
             f.return_value = 'non_unique_mac'
             self.assertRaises(dvr.MacAddressGenerationFailure,
                               self.mixin._create_dvr_mac_address,
                               self.ctx, "foo_host_2")
-        self.assertEqual(new_retries, f.call_count)
 
     def test_mac_not_cleared_on_agent_delete_event_with_remaining_agents(self):
         plugin = manager.NeutronManager.get_plugin()