diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bug-2001080-de52ead3c5466792.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bug-2001080-de52ead3c5466792.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b8b3c319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bug-2001080-de52ead3c5466792.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+prelude: >
+    Fixed a bug where a project was always enabled upon update, unless
+    ``enabled=False`` is passed explicitly.
+fixes:
+  - |
+    [`bug 2001080 <https://storyboard.openstack.org/#!/story/2001080>`_]
+    Project update will only update the enabled field of projects when
+    ``enabled=True`` or ``enabled=False`` is passed explicitly. The previous
+    behavior had ``enabled=True`` as the default.
diff --git a/shade/openstackcloud.py b/shade/openstackcloud.py
index 06879089f..084dc3ffc 100644
--- a/shade/openstackcloud.py
+++ b/shade/openstackcloud.py
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@ class OpenStackCloud(
                                   domain_id=domain_id)
 
     @_utils.valid_kwargs('description')
-    def update_project(self, name_or_id, enabled=True, domain_id=None,
+    def update_project(self, name_or_id, enabled=None, domain_id=None,
                        **kwargs):
         with _utils.shade_exceptions(
                 "Error in updating project {project}".format(
@@ -902,12 +902,10 @@ class OpenStackCloud(
             if not proj:
                 raise OpenStackCloudException(
                     "Project %s not found." % name_or_id)
-
-            kwargs.update({'enabled': enabled})
+            if enabled is not None:
+                kwargs.update({'enabled': enabled})
             # NOTE(samueldmq): Current code only allow updates of description
             # or enabled fields.
-            # FIXME(samueldmq): enable=True is the default, meaning it will
-            # enable a disabled project if you simply update other fields
             if self.cloud_config.get_api_version('identity') == '3':
                 data = self._identity_client.patch(
                     '/projects/' + proj['id'], json={'project': kwargs})
diff --git a/shade/tests/functional/test_project.py b/shade/tests/functional/test_project.py
index 9ffd4150f..25d59e6db 100644
--- a/shade/tests/functional/test_project.py
+++ b/shade/tests/functional/test_project.py
@@ -67,18 +67,32 @@ class TestProject(base.KeystoneBaseFunctionalTestCase):
         params = {
             'name': project_name,
             'description': 'test_update_project',
+            'enabled': True
         }
         if self.identity_version == '3':
             params['domain_id'] = \
                 self.operator_cloud.get_domain('default')['id']
 
         project = self.operator_cloud.create_project(**params)
-        updated_project = self.operator_cloud.update_project(project_name,
-                                                             description='new')
+        updated_project = self.operator_cloud.update_project(
+            project_name, enabled=False, description='new')
         self.assertIsNotNone(updated_project)
         self.assertEqual(project['id'], updated_project['id'])
         self.assertEqual(project['name'], updated_project['name'])
         self.assertEqual(updated_project['description'], 'new')
+        self.assertTrue(project['enabled'])
+        self.assertFalse(updated_project['enabled'])
+
+        # Revert the description and verify the project is still disabled
+        updated_project = self.operator_cloud.update_project(
+            project_name, description=params['description'])
+        self.assertIsNotNone(updated_project)
+        self.assertEqual(project['id'], updated_project['id'])
+        self.assertEqual(project['name'], updated_project['name'])
+        self.assertEqual(project['description'],
+                         updated_project['description'])
+        self.assertTrue(project['enabled'])
+        self.assertFalse(updated_project['enabled'])
 
     def test_delete_project(self):
         project_name = self.new_project_name + '_delete'