diff --git a/watcher/conf/ironic_client.py b/watcher/conf/ironic_client.py
index a241cf2..fc4940e 100755
--- a/watcher/conf/ironic_client.py
+++ b/watcher/conf/ironic_client.py
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ IRONIC_CLIENT_OPTS = [
                default=1,
                help='Version of Ironic API to use in ironicclient.'),
     cfg.StrOpt('endpoint_type',
-               default='internalURL',
+               default='publicURL',
                help='Type of endpoint to use in ironicclient.'
                     'Supported values: internalURL, publicURL, adminURL'
-                    'The default is internalURL.')]
+                    'The default is publicURL.')]
 
 
 def register_opts(conf):
diff --git a/watcher/tests/common/test_clients.py b/watcher/tests/common/test_clients.py
index 174a853..32ab071 100755
--- a/watcher/tests/common/test_clients.py
+++ b/watcher/tests/common/test_clients.py
@@ -416,11 +416,12 @@ class TestClients(base.TestCase):
 
     @mock.patch.object(clients.OpenStackClients, 'session')
     def test_clients_ironic_diff_endpoint(self, mock_session):
-        CONF.set_override('endpoint_type', 'publicURL', group='ironic_client')
+        CONF.set_override('endpoint_type', 'internalURL',
+                          group='ironic_client')
         osc = clients.OpenStackClients()
         osc._ironic = None
         osc.ironic()
-        self.assertEqual('publicURL', osc.ironic().http_client.endpoint)
+        self.assertEqual('internalURL', osc.ironic().http_client.endpoint)
 
     @mock.patch.object(clients.OpenStackClients, 'session')
     def test_clients_ironic_cached(self, mock_session):