diff --git a/etc/nova/nova.conf.sample b/etc/nova/nova.conf.sample
index 45b439095fdf..31efcf07e86c 100644
--- a/etc/nova/nova.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/nova/nova.conf.sample
@@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@
 
 # If True, send a dhcp release on instance termination
 # (boolean value)
-#force_dhcp_release=false
+#force_dhcp_release=true
 
 # If True in multi_host mode, all compute hosts share the same
 # dhcp address. (boolean value)
diff --git a/nova/network/manager.py b/nova/network/manager.py
index b691b58d6514..bf2af1e438c8 100644
--- a/nova/network/manager.py
+++ b/nova/network/manager.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ network_opts = [
                      'deleted in VLAN network mode with multi hosted '
                      'networks'),
     cfg.BoolOpt('force_dhcp_release',
-                default=False,
+                default=True,
                 help='If True, send a dhcp release on instance termination'),
     cfg.BoolOpt('share_dhcp_address',
                 default=False,
diff --git a/nova/test.py b/nova/test.py
index a8af00889ba7..babea87f47c0 100644
--- a/nova/test.py
+++ b/nova/test.py
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         self.policy = self.useFixture(policy_fixture.PolicyFixture())
         CONF.set_override('fatal_exception_format_errors', True)
         CONF.set_override('enabled', True, 'osapi_v3')
+        CONF.set_override('force_dhcp_release', False)
 
     def _restore_obj_registry(self):
         objects_base.NovaObject._obj_classes = self._base_test_obj_backup