diff --git a/oslo_log/formatters.py b/oslo_log/formatters.py
index 39f49e2b..bf8455f2 100644
--- a/oslo_log/formatters.py
+++ b/oslo_log/formatters.py
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ class ContextFormatter(logging.Formatter):
         # to an empty string so we don't throw an exception if
         # they get used
         for key in ('instance', 'color', 'user_identity', 'resource',
-                    'user_name', 'project_name'):
+                    'user_name', 'project_name', 'global_request_id'):
             if key not in record.__dict__:
                 record.__dict__[key] = ''
 
diff --git a/oslo_log/tests/unit/test_log.py b/oslo_log/tests/unit/test_log.py
index 041d5cfb..4c34d4c4 100644
--- a/oslo_log/tests/unit/test_log.py
+++ b/oslo_log/tests/unit/test_log.py
@@ -964,6 +964,18 @@ class ContextFormatterTestCase(LogTestBase):
                      str(message)))
         self.assertEqual(expected, self.stream.getvalue())
 
+    def test_global_request_id_logging(self):
+        fmt_str = "HAS CONTEXT [%(request_id)s %(global_request_id)s]: " \
+                  "%(message)s"
+        self.config(logging_context_format_string=fmt_str)
+        ctxt = _fake_context()
+        ctxt.request_id = '99'
+        message = 'test'
+        self.log.info(message, context=ctxt)
+        expected = ("HAS CONTEXT [%s %s]: %s\n" %
+                    (ctxt.request_id, ctxt.global_request_id, str(message)))
+        self.assertEqual(expected, self.stream.getvalue())
+
     def test_user_identity_logging_set_format(self):
         self.config(logging_context_format_string="HAS CONTEXT "
                                                   "[%(request_id)s "
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/init-global-request-id-eb2031bc221e5fb7.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/init-global-request-id-eb2031bc221e5fb7.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff229ecf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/init-global-request-id-eb2031bc221e5fb7.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Initialize the ``global_request_id`` context variable with a default
+    value if the key is not passed in the context.