diff --git a/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/jinja_cfg.py b/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/jinja_cfg.py
index 9b396fd3cf..a9f40a9d5d 100644
--- a/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/jinja_cfg.py
+++ b/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/jinja_cfg.py
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ class KeepalivedJinjaTemplater(object):
                 peers_ips.append(amp.vrrp_ip)
         return self.get_template(self.keepalived_template).render(
             {'vrrp_group_name': loadbalancer.vrrp_group.vrrp_group_name,
-             'amp_role': amphora.role,
              'amp_intf': amphora.vrrp_interface,
              'amp_vrrp_id': amphora.vrrp_id,
              'amp_priority': amphora.vrrp_priority,
diff --git a/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/templates/keepalived_base.template b/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/templates/keepalived_base.template
index 3bcb8eda4a..d44f48cbda 100644
--- a/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/templates/keepalived_base.template
+++ b/octavia/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/templates/keepalived_base.template
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ vrrp_script check_script {
 }
 
 vrrp_instance {{ vrrp_group_name }} {
-    state {{ amp_role }}
     interface {{ amp_intf }}
     virtual_router_id {{ amp_vrrp_id }}
     priority {{ amp_priority }}
diff --git a/octavia/tests/unit/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/test_jinja_cfg.py b/octavia/tests/unit/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/test_jinja_cfg.py
index 15dd2e942b..870ef2a215 100644
--- a/octavia/tests/unit/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/test_jinja_cfg.py
+++ b/octavia/tests/unit/amphorae/drivers/keepalived/jinja/test_jinja_cfg.py
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ class TestVRRPRestDriver(base.TestCase):
             "}\n"
             "\n"
             "vrrp_instance TESTGROUP {\n"
-            "    state MASTER\n"
             "    interface eth1\n"
             "    virtual_router_id 1\n"
             "    priority 100\n"
@@ -124,7 +123,6 @@ class TestVRRPRestDriver(base.TestCase):
             "}\n"
             "\n"
             "vrrp_instance TESTGROUP {\n"
-            "    state MASTER\n"
             "    interface eth1\n"
             "    virtual_router_id 1\n"
             "    priority 100\n"
@@ -170,7 +168,6 @@ class TestVRRPRestDriver(base.TestCase):
             "}\n"
             "\n"
             "vrrp_instance TESTGROUP {\n"
-            "    state MASTER\n"
             "    interface eth1\n"
             "    virtual_router_id 1\n"
             "    priority 100\n"
@@ -220,7 +217,6 @@ class TestVRRPRestDriver(base.TestCase):
             "}\n"
             "\n"
             "vrrp_instance TESTGROUP {\n"
-            "    state MASTER\n"
             "    interface eth1\n"
             "    virtual_router_id 1\n"
             "    priority 100\n"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/remove-default-role-from-keepalived-c879bad3a42a6b4a.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/remove-default-role-from-keepalived-c879bad3a42a6b4a.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bfca76f83f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/remove-default-role-from-keepalived-c879bad3a42a6b4a.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixed a bug with the `nopreempt` option in keepalived. The option didn't
+    work properly because the default role of the `MASTER` amphora was set.
+    Removing the default roles from the configuration files fixed that issue.
+    Now after a failover, the newly created amphora doesn't preempt the
+    `MASTER` role from the other amphora.