diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/default-kolla-conf-9b5aaab1931f00a0.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/default-kolla-conf-9b5aaab1931f00a0.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..124808236
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/default-kolla-conf-9b5aaab1931f00a0.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Added a default kolla conf file for the container image building command
+
diff --git a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_image/test_container_image.py b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_image/test_container_image.py
index 4d294ffdc..a165e8fdc 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_image/test_container_image.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_image/test_container_image.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import mock
 import os
 import shutil
 import six
+import sys
 import tempfile
 import yaml
 
@@ -241,6 +242,10 @@ class TestContainerImageBuild(TestPluginV1):
         self.cmd = container_image.BuildImage(self.app, None)
         self.cmd.app.stdout = six.StringIO()
         self.temp_dir = self.useFixture(fixtures.TempDir()).join()
+        # Default conf file
+        self.default_kolla_conf = os.path.join(
+            sys.prefix, 'share', 'tripleo-common', 'container-images',
+            'tripleo_kolla_config_overrides.conf')
 
     @mock.patch('sys.exit')
     @mock.patch('tripleo_common.image.kolla_builder.KollaImageBuilder',
@@ -284,7 +289,7 @@ class TestContainerImageBuild(TestPluginV1):
         mock_builder.assert_called_once_with([
             '/tmp/foo.yaml', '/tmp/bar.yaml'])
         mock_builder.return_value.build_images.assert_called_once_with([
-            '/tmp/kolla.conf',
+            self.default_kolla_conf, '/tmp/kolla.conf',
             path
         ])
 
diff --git a/tripleoclient/v1/container_image.py b/tripleoclient/v1/container_image.py
index fc9f27e19..5d1bb2745 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/v1/container_image.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/v1/container_image.py
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ class BuildImage(command.Command):
             images.append(dep)
 
     def get_parser(self, prog_name):
+        default_kolla_conf = os.path.join(
+            sys.prefix, 'share', 'tripleo-common', 'container-images',
+            'tripleo_kolla_config_overrides.conf')
         parser = super(BuildImage, self).get_parser(prog_name)
         parser.add_argument(
             "--config-file",
@@ -99,12 +102,13 @@ class BuildImage(command.Command):
             "--kolla-config-file",
             dest="kolla_config_files",
             metavar='<config file>',
-            default=[],
+            default=[default_kolla_conf],
             action="append",
             required=True,
             help=_("Path to a Kolla config file to use. Multiple config files "
                    "can be specified, with values in later files taking "
-                   "precedence."),
+                   "precedence. By default, tripleo kolla conf file {conf} "
+                   "is added.").format(conf=default_kolla_conf),
         )
         parser.add_argument(
             '--list-images',