diff --git a/tripleoclient/config/base.py b/tripleoclient/config/base.py
index 70d8b448c..389ce5e80 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/config/base.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/config/base.py
@@ -39,8 +39,12 @@ class BaseConfig(object):
                            'templates, ansible deployment files.'),
                        ),
             cfg.BoolOpt('cleanup',
-                        default=False,
-                        help=('Cleanup temporary files'),
+                        default=True,
+                        help=('Cleanup temporary files. Setting this to '
+                              'False will leave the temporary files used '
+                              'during deployment in place after the command '
+                              'is run. This is useful for debugging the '
+                              'generated files or if errors occur.'),
                         ),
         ]
         return self.sort_opts(_opts)
diff --git a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py
index 1585f0a03..37e86905e 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/undercloud/test_undercloud.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class TestUndercloudInstall(TestPluginV1):
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'docker.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
-             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/foo',
+             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/foo', '--cleanup',
              '-e', '/foo/undercloud_parameters.yaml',
              '--log-file=/tmp/install-undercloud.log'])
 
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class TestUndercloudInstall(TestPluginV1):
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'docker.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
-             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack',
+             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack', '--cleanup',
              '-e', '/home/stack/undercloud_parameters.yaml',
              '--log-file=/tmp/install-undercloud.log'])
 
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ class TestUndercloudInstall(TestPluginV1):
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'docker.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
-             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack',
+             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack', '--cleanup',
              '-e', '/home/stack/undercloud_parameters.yaml',
              '--debug', '--log-file=/tmp/install-undercloud.log'])
 
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ class TestUndercloudInstall(TestPluginV1):
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'docker.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
-             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack',
+             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack', '--cleanup',
              '-e', '/home/stack/undercloud_parameters.yaml',
              '--log-file=/tmp/install-undercloud.log'])
 
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ class TestUndercloudUpgrade(TestPluginV1):
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'docker.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
-             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack',
+             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack', '--cleanup',
              '-e', '/home/stack/undercloud_parameters.yaml',
              '--log-file=/tmp/install-undercloud.log'])
 
@@ -526,6 +526,6 @@ class TestUndercloudUpgrade(TestPluginV1):
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
              'docker.yaml', '-e',
              '/usr/share/openstack-tripleo-heat-templates/environments/'
-             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack',
+             'undercloud.yaml', '--output-dir=/home/stack', '--cleanup',
              '-e', '/home/stack/undercloud_parameters.yaml',
              '--debug', '--log-file=/tmp/install-undercloud.log'])