diff --git a/os_brick/encryptors/luks.py b/os_brick/encryptors/luks.py
index d2bb9c8f4..6ccceef58 100644
--- a/os_brick/encryptors/luks.py
+++ b/os_brick/encryptors/luks.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ class LuksEncryptor(cryptsetup.CryptsetupEncryptor):
 
         # NOTE(joel-coffman): cryptsetup will strip trailing newlines from
         # input specified on stdin unless --key-file=- is specified.
-        cmd = ["cryptsetup", "--batch-mode", "luksFormat", "--key-file=-"]
+        cmd = ["cryptsetup", "--batch-mode", "luksFormat", "--type", "luks",
+               "--key-file=-"]
 
         cipher = kwargs.get("cipher", None)
         if cipher is not None:
diff --git a/os_brick/tests/encryptors/test_luks.py b/os_brick/tests/encryptors/test_luks.py
index 45c57a0f2..c5af4c436 100644
--- a/os_brick/tests/encryptors/test_luks.py
+++ b/os_brick/tests/encryptors/test_luks.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class LuksEncryptorTestCase(test_cryptsetup.CryptsetupEncryptorTestCase):
 
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls([
             mock.call('cryptsetup', '--batch-mode', 'luksFormat',
-                      '--key-file=-', self.dev_path,
+                      '--type', 'luks', '--key-file=-', self.dev_path,
                       process_input='passphrase',
                       root_helper=self.root_helper,
                       run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=True, attempts=3),
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ class LuksEncryptorTestCase(test_cryptsetup.CryptsetupEncryptorTestCase):
                       root_helper=self.root_helper,
                       run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=True),
             mock.call('cryptsetup', '--batch-mode', 'luksFormat',
-                      '--key-file=-', self.dev_path, process_input=fake_key,
+                      '--type', 'luks', '--key-file=-', self.dev_path,
+                      process_input=fake_key,
                       root_helper=self.root_helper,
                       run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=True, attempts=3),
             mock.call('cryptsetup', 'luksOpen', '--key-file=-', self.dev_path,