diff --git a/nova/conf/glance.py b/nova/conf/glance.py
index b96f437b0f36..694855e219cd 100644
--- a/nova/conf/glance.py
+++ b/nova/conf/glance.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Possible values:
   (i.e. "http://10.0.1.0:9292" or "https://my.glance.server/image").
 """),
     cfg.IntOpt('num_retries',
-        default=0,
+        default=3,
         min=0,
         help="""
 Enable glance operation retries.
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/image/test_glance.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/image/test_glance.py
index 3994af17926e..be49622e7332 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/image/test_glance.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/image/test_glance.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class TestGlanceStore(stubs.XenAPITestBaseNoDB):
         mock_sr_path.assert_called_once_with(self.session)
         mock_extra_header.assert_called_once_with(self.context)
         mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.session, 0, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
+            self.session, 3, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
             'fake_sr_path', 'fake_extra_header', **params)
 
     @mock.patch.object(utils, 'get_auto_disk_config_from_instance')
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class TestGlanceStore(stubs.XenAPITestBaseNoDB):
         mock_sr_path.assert_called_once_with(self.session)
         mock_extra_header.assert_called_once_with(self.context)
         mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.session, 0, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
+            self.session, 3, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
             'fake_sr_path', 'fake_extra_header', **params)
         mock_disk_config.assert_called_once_with(self.instance)
 
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class TestGlanceStore(stubs.XenAPITestBaseNoDB):
         mock_sr_path.assert_called_once_with(self.session)
         mock_extra_header.assert_called_once_with(self.context)
         mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.session, 0, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
+            self.session, 3, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
             'fake_sr_path', 'fake_extra_header', **params)
         mock_disk_config.assert_called_once_with(self.instance)
 
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ class TestGlanceStore(stubs.XenAPITestBaseNoDB):
         mock_sr_path.assert_called_once_with(self.session)
         mock_extra_header.assert_called_once_with(self.context)
         mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.session, 0, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
+            self.session, 3, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
             'fake_sr_path', 'fake_extra_header', **params)
 
     @mock.patch.object(common_glance, 'generate_identity_headers')
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ class TestGlanceStore(stubs.XenAPITestBaseNoDB):
         mock_sr_path.assert_called_once_with(self.session)
         mock_extra_header.assert_called_once_with(self.context)
         mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.session, 0, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
+            self.session, 3, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
             'fake_sr_path', 'fake_extra_header', **params)
 
     @mock.patch.object(time, 'sleep')
@@ -330,5 +330,5 @@ class TestGlanceStore(stubs.XenAPITestBaseNoDB):
         mock_sr_path.assert_called_once_with(self.session)
         mock_extra_header.assert_called_once_with(self.context)
         mock_upload.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.session, 0, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
+            self.session, 3, mock.ANY, mock.ANY, 'fake_image_uuid',
             'fake_sr_path', 'fake_extra_header', **params)
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/test_vm_utils.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/test_vm_utils.py
index ef2d687e8f82..ef29e27e36ba 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/test_vm_utils.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/xenapi/test_vm_utils.py
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class FetchVhdImageTestCase(VMUtilsTestBase):
         self.mock_call_plugin.assert_called_once_with(
                 'glance.py',
                 'download_vhd2',
-                0,
+                3,
                 mock.ANY,
                 mock.ANY,
                 extra_headers={'X-Auth-Token': 'auth_token',
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/increase_glance_num_retries-ddfcd7053631882b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/increase_glance_num_retries-ddfcd7053631882b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..72b5467bcd2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/increase_glance_num_retries-ddfcd7053631882b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    The default for ``[glance] num_retries`` has changed from ``0`` to ``3``.
+    The option controls how many times to retry a Glance API call in response
+    to a HTTP connection failure. When deploying Glance behind HAproxy it is
+    possible for a response to arrive just after the HAproxy idle time. As a
+    result, an exception will be raised when the connection is closed resulting
+    in a failed request. By increasing the default value, Nova can be more
+    resilient to this scenario were HAproxy is misconfigured by retrying the
+    request.