diff --git a/hooks/rabbitmq_server_relations.py b/hooks/rabbitmq_server_relations.py
index 103f9f7e..eb329ba5 100755
--- a/hooks/rabbitmq_server_relations.py
+++ b/hooks/rabbitmq_server_relations.py
@@ -509,8 +509,7 @@ def config_changed():
     add_source(config('source'), config('key'))
     apt_update(fatal=True)
     # Copy in defaults file for updated ulimits
-    shutil.copyfile('templates/rabbitmq.limits.conf',
-                    '/etc/security/limits.d/rabbitmq.limits.conf')
+    shutil.copyfile('templates/rabbitmq-server', '/etc/default/rabbitmq-server')
     # Install packages to ensure any changes to source
     # result in an upgrade if applicable.
     apt_install(rabbit.PACKAGES, fatal=True)
diff --git a/templates/rabbitmq-server b/templates/rabbitmq-server
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..214a3bd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/rabbitmq-server
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Generated by juju
+# bump ulimit so rabbit can support lots of connections
+ulimit -n 65536
diff --git a/templates/rabbitmq.limits.conf b/templates/rabbitmq.limits.conf
deleted file mode 100644
index a4c9ab89..00000000
--- a/templates/rabbitmq.limits.conf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# Generated by juju
-# bump ulimit so rabbit can support lots of connections
-
-rabbitmq        soft    nofile          65536
-rabbitmq        hard    nofile          65536