diff --git a/tripleo_common/actions/scale.py b/tripleo_common/actions/scale.py
index f11ada314..476f966a6 100644
--- a/tripleo_common/actions/scale.py
+++ b/tripleo_common/actions/scale.py
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ class ScaleDownAction(templates.ProcessTemplatesAction):
                 'resource_list': [r.resource_name for r in role_resources]
             }]
 
+            # force reset the removal_policies_mode to 'append'
+            # as 'update' can lead to deletion of unintended nodes.
+            removal_mode = "{0}RemovalPoliciesMode".format(role)
+            stack_params[removal_mode] = 'append'
+
         return stack_params
 
     def run(self, context):
diff --git a/tripleo_common/tests/actions/test_scale.py b/tripleo_common/tests/actions/test_scale.py
index 7face5b90..a3f6d9064 100644
--- a/tripleo_common/tests/actions/test_scale.py
+++ b/tripleo_common/tests/actions/test_scale.py
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ class ScaleDownActionTest(base.TestCase):
             template={'heat_template_version': '2016-04-30'}
         )
 
-        clear_list = list(['ComputeCount', 'ComputeRemovalPolicies'])
+        clear_list = list(['ComputeCount', 'ComputeRemovalPolicies',
+                           'ComputeRemovalPoliciesMode'])
         _, kwargs = heatclient.stacks.update.call_args
         self.assertEqual(set(kwargs['clear_parameters']), set(clear_list))
         self.assertEqual(kwargs['environment'], env)