diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index daae7cdc..9f0f3e3b 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ octavia_service_user_name: "octavia"
 octavia_service_role_name: admin
 octavia_service_project_domain_id: default
 octavia_service_user_domain_id: default
-octavia_keystone_auth_plugin: password
+octavia_keystone_auth_plugin: "{{ octavia_keystone_auth_type }}"
+octavia_keystone_auth_type: password
 octavia_ansible_endpoint_type: "internal" # endpoint for ansible
 
 ## Trustee Auth
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deprecate_auth_plugin-a391325719b67612.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate_auth_plugin-a391325719b67612.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..765e285b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate_auth_plugin-a391325719b67612.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - The ``octavia_keystone_auth_plugin`` variable has been deprecated.
+    ``octavia_keystone_auth_type`` should be used instead to configure
+    authentication type.
diff --git a/templates/octavia.conf.j2 b/templates/octavia.conf.j2
index 01a82bca..2ecd1ced 100644
--- a/templates/octavia.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/octavia.conf.j2
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ event_streamer_driver = {% if octavia_event_streamer|bool %}queue_event_streamer
 
 [keystone_authtoken]
 insecure = {{ keystone_service_internaluri_insecure | bool }}
-auth_plugin = {{ octavia_keystone_auth_plugin }}
+auth_type = {{ octavia_keystone_auth_plugin }}
 auth_url = {{ keystone_service_internaluri }}/v3
 auth_uri = {{ keystone_service_internaluri }}/v3
 auth_version = 3