diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/container-images-file-required-ff11154429796729.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/container-images-file-required-ff11154429796729.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95e70f8df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/container-images-file-required-ff11154429796729.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+other:
+  - |
+    When using containerized undercloud installation with `openstack undercloud
+    install --use-heat`, the container_images_file is a required configuration
+    parmeter.
diff --git a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py
index 6debbd0d2..1a9115f9d 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 
 import mock
 
+from oslo_config import cfg
+from oslo_config import fixture as oslo_fixture
+
 from tripleoclient.tests.v1.test_plugin import TestPluginV1
 
 # Load the plugin init module for the plugin list and show commands
@@ -32,6 +35,8 @@ class TestUndercloudInstall(TestPluginV1):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestUndercloudInstall, self).setUp()
 
+        conf = self.useFixture(oslo_fixture.Config(cfg.CONF))
+        conf.config(container_images_file='/home/stack/foo.yaml')
         # Get the command object to test
         self.cmd = undercloud.InstallUndercloud(self.app, None)
 
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ class TestUndercloudInstall(TestPluginV1):
             ['sudo', 'openstack', 'undercloud',
              'deploy', '--local-ip=192.168.24.1',
              '--templates=/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/',
-             '--heat-native', '-e',
+             '--heat-native', '-e', '/home/stack/foo.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'services-docker/ironic.yaml',
              '-e',
@@ -82,6 +87,8 @@ class TestUndercloudUpgrade(TestPluginV1):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestUndercloudUpgrade, self).setUp()
 
+        conf = self.useFixture(oslo_fixture.Config(cfg.CONF))
+        conf.config(container_images_file='/home/stack/foo.yaml')
         # Get the command object to test
         self.cmd = undercloud.UpgradeUndercloud(self.app, None)
 
@@ -121,7 +128,7 @@ class TestUndercloudUpgrade(TestPluginV1):
              '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'major-upgrade-composable-steps-docker.yaml',
-             '--heat-native', '-e',
+             '--heat-native', '-e', '/home/stack/foo.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'services-docker/ironic.yaml',
              '-e',
diff --git a/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_config.py b/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_config.py
index aa4a77af7..3c08d34d4 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_config.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/v1/undercloud_config.py
@@ -344,8 +344,9 @@ _opts = [
                default='',
                help=('URL for the heat container image to use.')
                ),
+    # NOTE(aschultz): LP#1754067 - required until we can do this automatically
     cfg.StrOpt('container_images_file',
-               default='',
+               required=True,
                help=('Container yaml file with all available images in the'
                      'registry')
                ),