diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
index a90aeb89c9..c819a64388 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ config_strategy: "COPY_ALWAYS"
 # Valid options are ['centos', 'debian', 'rhel', 'ubuntu']
 kolla_base_distro: "centos"
 # Valid options are [ binary, source ]
-kolla_install_type: "binary"
+kolla_install_type: "source"
 
 kolla_internal_vip_address: "{{ kolla_internal_address | default('') }}"
 kolla_internal_fqdn: "{{ kolla_internal_vip_address }}"
diff --git a/doc/source/user/quickstart.rst b/doc/source/user/quickstart.rst
index 060ac25ee6..4836d9e7b7 100644
--- a/doc/source/user/quickstart.rst
+++ b/doc/source/user/quickstart.rst
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ There are a few options that are required to deploy Kolla Ansible:
   binary
    using repositories like apt or dnf
 
-  source
+  source (default)
    using raw source archives, git repositories or local source directory
 
   .. note::
diff --git a/etc/kolla/globals.yml b/etc/kolla/globals.yml
index b71d573569..7c38d7ee0b 100644
--- a/etc/kolla/globals.yml
+++ b/etc/kolla/globals.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #kolla_base_distro: "centos"
 
 # Valid options are [ binary, source ]
-#kolla_install_type: "binary"
+#kolla_install_type: "source"
 
 # Do not override this unless you know what you are doing.
 #openstack_release: "master"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/default-type-source-3fefd8baa3ca46ba.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/default-type-source-3fefd8baa3ca46ba.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bb1116007f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/default-type-source-3fefd8baa3ca46ba.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Updates the default image type to ``source``. Users wishing to deploy
+    ``binary`` type images should set ``kolla_install_type`` to ``binary`` in
+    ``globals.yml``. This change is to reflect the reality that source images
+    are tested more thoroughly and we (as OpenStack community) have better
+    control over them.