diff --git a/puppet/services/swift-proxy.yaml b/puppet/services/swift-proxy.yaml
index ec2e3b2821..67f538e471 100644
--- a/puppet/services/swift-proxy.yaml
+++ b/puppet/services/swift-proxy.yaml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ parameters:
     description: Timeout for requests going from swift-proxy to swift a/c/o services.
     type: number
   SwiftWorkers:
-    default: auto
+    default: 0
     description: Number of workers for Swift service.
     type: string
   KeystoneRegion:
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ conditions:
   use_tls_proxy: {equals : [{get_param: EnableInternalTLS}, true]}
   swift_encryption_enabled: {equals : [{get_param: SwiftEncryptionEnabled}, true]}
   cors_allowed_origin_unset: {equals : [{get_param: SwiftCorsAllowedOrigin}, '']}
+  swift_workers_zero: {equals : [{get_param: SwiftWorkers}, '0']}
 
 resources:
   SwiftBase:
@@ -140,7 +141,11 @@ outputs:
             swift::proxy::authtoken::project_name: 'service'
             swift::proxy::s3token::auth_uri: {get_param: [EndpointMap, KeystoneInternal, uri]}
             swift::proxy::node_timeout: {get_param: SwiftProxyNodeTimeout}
-            swift::proxy::workers: {get_param: SwiftWorkers}
+          -
+            if:
+            - swift_workers_zero
+            - {}
+            - swift::proxy::workers: {get_param: SwiftWorkers}
           -
             if:
             - ceilometer_pipeline_enabled
diff --git a/puppet/services/swift-storage.yaml b/puppet/services/swift-storage.yaml
index f465c8b79e..7b057a53d1 100644
--- a/puppet/services/swift-storage.yaml
+++ b/puppet/services/swift-storage.yaml
@@ -46,15 +46,15 @@ parameters:
     default: 'overcloud-swift-storage'
     type: string
   SwiftAccountWorkers:
-    default: auto
+    default: 0
     description: Number of workers for Swift account service.
     type: string
   SwiftContainerWorkers:
-    default: auto
+    default: 0
     description: Number of workers for Swift account service.
     type: string
   SwiftObjectWorkers:
-    default: auto
+    default: 0
     description: Number of workers for Swift account service.
     type: string
   SwiftUseLocalDir:
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ conditions:
         equals:
         - get_param: SwiftRawDisks
         - {}
+  account_workers_zero: {equals : [{get_param: SwiftAccountWorkers}, '0']}
+  container_workers_zero: {equals : [{get_param: SwiftContainerWorkers}, '0']}
+  object_workers_zero: {equals : [{get_param: SwiftObjectWorkers}, '0']}
 
 outputs:
   role_data:
@@ -136,9 +139,21 @@ outputs:
                    "%{hiera('$NETWORK')}"
                  params:
                    $NETWORK: {get_param: [ServiceNetMap, SwiftStorageNetwork]}
-            swift::storage::all::account_server_workers: {get_param: SwiftAccountWorkers}
-            swift::storage::all::container_server_workers: {get_param: SwiftContainerWorkers}
-            swift::storage::all::object_server_workers: {get_param: SwiftObjectWorkers}
+          -
+            if:
+            - account_workers_zero
+            - {}
+            - swift::storage::all::account_server_workers: {get_param: SwiftAccountWorkers}
+          -
+            if:
+            - container_workers_zero
+            - {}
+            - swift::storage::all::container_server_workers: {get_param: SwiftContainerWorkers}
+          -
+            if:
+            - object_workers_zero
+            - {}
+            - swift::storage::all::object_server_workers: {get_param: SwiftObjectWorkers}
       step_config: |
         include ::tripleo::profile::base::swift::storage
       upgrade_tasks:
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/change-swift-worker-defaults-b98f12fb2f677bf1.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/change-swift-worker-defaults-b98f12fb2f677bf1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c09942145
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/change-swift-worker-defaults-b98f12fb2f677bf1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    swift worker count parameter defaults have been changed from 'auto' to
+    0. If not provided, puppet module default would instead be used and the
+    number of server processes will be limited to '12'.