diff --git a/neutron/common/config.py b/neutron/common/config.py
index 92b22be4a83..70c2dd7cf18 100644
--- a/neutron/common/config.py
+++ b/neutron/common/config.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import sys
 from keystoneauth1 import loading as ks_loading
 from neutron_lib.api import validators
 from oslo_config import cfg
-from oslo_db import options as db_options
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 import oslo_messaging
 from oslo_middleware import cors
@@ -52,17 +51,6 @@ common_config.register_core_common_config_opts()
 oslo_messaging.set_transport_defaults(control_exchange='neutron')
 
 
-def set_db_defaults():
-    # Update the default QueuePool parameters. These can be tweaked by the
-    # conf variables - max_pool_size, max_overflow and pool_timeout
-    db_options.set_defaults(
-        cfg.CONF,
-        connection='sqlite://',
-        max_pool_size=10,
-        max_overflow=20, pool_timeout=10)
-
-set_db_defaults()
-
 NOVA_CONF_SECTION = 'nova'
 
 ks_loading.register_auth_conf_options(cfg.CONF, NOVA_CONF_SECTION)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/base.py b/neutron/tests/base.py
index 40239e63326..32bddf11dc5 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/base.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/base.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import mock
 from neutron_lib import fixture
 from oslo_concurrency.fixture import lockutils
 from oslo_config import cfg
+from oslo_db import options as db_options
 from oslo_messaging import conffixture as messaging_conffixture
 from oslo_utils import excutils
 from oslo_utils import fileutils
@@ -145,9 +146,9 @@ class DietTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
         super(DietTestCase, self).setUp()
 
         # FIXME(amuller): this must be called in the Neutron unit tests base
-        # class to initialize the DB connection string. Moving this may cause
-        # non-deterministic failures. Bug #1489098 for more info.
-        config.set_db_defaults()
+        # class. Moving this may cause non-deterministic failures. Bug #1489098
+        # for more info.
+        db_options.set_defaults(cfg.CONF, connection='sqlite://')
 
         # Configure this first to ensure pm debugging support for setUp()
         debugger = os.environ.get('OS_POST_MORTEM_DEBUGGER')
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/change-oslo-db-defaults-f94df09c30767f95.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/change-oslo-db-defaults-f94df09c30767f95.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bdc25243760
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/change-oslo-db-defaults-f94df09c30767f95.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Previously, ``neutron-server`` was using configuration values
+    for ``oslo.db`` that were different from library defaults. Specifically, it
+    used the following values when they were not overridden in configuration
+    files: ``max_pool_size`` = 10, ``max_overflow`` = 20, ``pool_timeout`` =
+    10. In this release, ``neutron-server`` instead relies on default values
+    defined by the library itself. If you rely on old default values, you may
+    need to adjust your configuration files to explicitly set the new values.