diff --git a/etc/openstack_deploy/conf.d/swift.yml.example b/etc/openstack_deploy/conf.d/swift.yml.example
index 95aee740e0..6bfe5c9277 100644
--- a/etc/openstack_deploy/conf.d/swift.yml.example
+++ b/etc/openstack_deploy/conf.d/swift.yml.example
@@ -245,7 +245,8 @@
 #         E.g. read_affinity: "r1=100" this would prefer region 1
 #         read_affinity: "r1z1=100, r1=200" this would prefer region 1 zone 1
 #         if that is unavailable region 1, otherwise any available region/zone.
-#         Lower number is higher priority.
+#         Lower number is higher priority. When this option is specified the
+#         sorting_method is set to 'affinity' automatically.
 #
 #         Option: write_affinity (optional, string)
 #         Specify which region to prefer when object PUT requests are made.
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/os_swift/defaults/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/os_swift/defaults/main.yml
index f74ae5e605..9dda635883 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/os_swift/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/os_swift/defaults/main.yml
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ swift_allow_versions: True
 swift_allow_all_users: False
 # If you want to regenerate the swift keys, on a run, for rsync purposes set this var to True otherwise keys will be generated on the first run and not regenerated each run.
 swift_recreate_keys: False
+swift_sorting_method: shuffle
 
 ## Swift ceilometer variables
 swift_reselleradmin_role: ResellerAdmin
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/os_swift/templates/proxy-server.conf.j2 b/playbooks/roles/os_swift/templates/proxy-server.conf.j2
index fef3502d2b..518950df1e 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/os_swift/templates/proxy-server.conf.j2
+++ b/playbooks/roles/os_swift/templates/proxy-server.conf.j2
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ account_autocreate = true
 {% if swift_proxy_vars is defined %}
 {%   if swift_proxy_vars.read_affinity is defined %}
 read_affinity = {{ swift_proxy_vars.read_affinity }}
+{%     set swift_sorting_method = 'affinity' %}
 {%   endif %}
 {%   if swift_proxy_vars.write_affinity is defined %}
 write_affinity = {{ swift_proxy_vars.write_affinity }}
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ write_affinity_node_count = {{ swift_proxy_vars.write_affinity_node_count }}
 {%     endif %}
 {%   endif %}
 {% endif %}
+sorting_method = {{ swift_sorting_method }}
 
 {% if 'tempauth' in swift_middleware_list %}
 [filter:tempauth]