diff --git a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/README.rst b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/README.rst
index 882bc5d55..b7ebeb8eb 100644
--- a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/README.rst
+++ b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/README.rst
@@ -13,3 +13,8 @@ Install and start zookeeper using the upsteam release.
    :default: false
 
    Setup zookeeper tls certificates.
+
+.. zuul:rolevar:: zookeeper_use_tmpfs
+   :default: true
+
+   Setup a tmpfs for data directory.
diff --git a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/defaults/main.yaml
index f8c117113..ed73556d1 100644
--- a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ _zookeeper_latest_version: "3.6.1"
 _zookeeper_install_version: "{% if zookeeper_version == 'latest' %}{{ _zookeeper_latest_version }}{% else %}{{ zookeeper_version }}{% endif %}"
 
 zookeeper_use_tls: false
+zookeeper_use_tmpfs: true
 zookeeper_ca_dir: "/opt/zookeeper/ca"
diff --git a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml
index 5c0a3efe4..fa9e6e54d 100644
--- a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
     fstype: tmpfs
     opts: "nodev,nosuid,size=500M"
     src: "none"
+  when: zookeeper_use_tmpfs
   become: true
 
 - name: Setup Zookeeper config file