diff --git a/roles/validate-tempest/README.md b/roles/validate-tempest/README.md
index 2db2aace5..df4db86bf 100644
--- a/roles/validate-tempest/README.md
+++ b/roles/validate-tempest/README.md
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ Role Variables
 * `tempest_format`: venv/packages - Which tempest installation to use - either install python virtual environment
                     with installed there python modules from requirements file, or to use installed with RDO RPM packages
 * `tempest_log_file` - name of log file for tempest run
-* `test_regex` - tests regular expression for tempest run, i.e. smoke or tempest.api.object_storage|keystone_tempest_plugin.
+* `test_white_regex` - tests regular expression for tempest run, i.e. smoke or tempest.api.object_storage|keystone_tempest_plugin.
+                       `test_regex` is deprecated and switch to `test_white_regex`, will be removed by end of Rocky release.
 * `run_tempest`: false/true - to run tempest or not
 * `tempest_config`: false/true - whether to prepare the script which configures and runs tempest or not
 * `tempest_whitelist`: list - list of tests you want to be executed. set `skip_file_src`
diff --git a/roles/validate-tempest/defaults/main.yml b/roles/validate-tempest/defaults/main.yml
index bce776c2c..87b7316c5 100644
--- a/roles/validate-tempest/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/validate-tempest/defaults/main.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ public_net_pool_start: "{{ floating_ip_cidr|nthhost(100) }}"
 public_net_pool_end: "{{ floating_ip_cidr|nthhost(120) }}"
 public_net_gateway: "{{ floating_ip_cidr|nthhost(1) }}"
 tempest_log_file: 'tempest_output.log'
-test_regex: smoke
+test_white_regex: "{{ test_regex|default('smoke') }}"
 test_black_regex: []
 check_tempest_bugs: false
 
diff --git a/roles/validate-tempest/tasks/pre-tempest.yml b/roles/validate-tempest/tasks/pre-tempest.yml
index 0654e5ef4..2ee50fab0 100644
--- a/roles/validate-tempest/tasks/pre-tempest.yml
+++ b/roles/validate-tempest/tasks/pre-tempest.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
     dest: "{{ working_dir }}/tempest-setup.sh"
     mode: 0744
 
+- name: Deprecation message for test_regex
+  debug:
+    msg: "WARNING: The variable test_regex is deprecated and will be removed by end of ROCKY release in the favor of test_white_regex."
+  when: test_regex is defined
+
 - name: Load skip list variables (undercloud or overcloud)
   include_vars:
     file: "tempest_skip_{{ release }}.yml"
diff --git a/roles/validate-tempest/templates/run-tempest.sh.j2 b/roles/validate-tempest/templates/run-tempest.sh.j2
index d82f6ab4b..f027b497d 100644
--- a/roles/validate-tempest/templates/run-tempest.sh.j2
+++ b/roles/validate-tempest/templates/run-tempest.sh.j2
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ $TEMPESTCLI list-plugins
 $TEMPESTCLI cleanup --init-saved-state
 {% endif %}
 
-{% if release not in ["master", "queens"] %} $OSTESTR {% else %} $TEMPESTCLI run {% endif %}{% if test_regex != '' %} --regex '({{ test_regex }})' {% endif %}
+{% if release not in ["master", "queens"] %} $OSTESTR {% else %} $TEMPESTCLI run {% endif %}{% if test_white_regex != '' %} --regex '({{ test_white_regex }})' {% endif %}
 {% if tempest_whitelist|length > 0 %} --whitelist_file={{ working_dir }}/{{ tempest_whitelist_file }} {% endif %}
 {% if release not in ["newton", "ocata", "pike"] %} {% if test_black_regex|length > 0 %} --black-regex='{{ test_black_regex|join('|') }}' {% endif %} {% endif %}
 {% if skip_file_src != '' %} --blacklist_file={{ working_dir }}/{{ skip_file }} {% endif %}