diff --git a/etc/l3_agent.ini b/etc/l3_agent.ini
index 1ae3eb2bde1..e6903988d4c 100644
--- a/etc/l3_agent.ini
+++ b/etc/l3_agent.ini
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 
 # Send this many gratuitous ARPs for HA setup. Set it below or equal to 0
 # to disable this feature.
-# send_arp_for_ha = 0
+# send_arp_for_ha = 3
 
 # seconds between re-sync routers' data if needed
 # periodic_interval = 40
diff --git a/neutron/agent/l3_agent.py b/neutron/agent/l3_agent.py
index aa185e43067..64ffc701a5a 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/l3_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/l3_agent.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class L3NATAgent(firewall_l3_agent.FWaaSL3AgentRpcCallback, manager.Manager):
                    help=_("TCP Port used by Neutron metadata namespace "
                           "proxy.")),
         cfg.IntOpt('send_arp_for_ha',
-                   default=0,
+                   default=3,
                    help=_("Send this many gratuitous ARPs for HA setup, if "
                           "less than or equal to 0, the feature is disabled")),
         cfg.StrOpt('router_id', default='',
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py
index 1b3f231ed1c..a49c2e28293 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ class TestBasicRouterOperations(base.BaseTestCase):
         self.conf.set_override('router_id', 'fake_id')
         self.conf.set_override('interface_driver',
                                'neutron.agent.linux.interface.NullDriver')
-        self.conf.set_override('send_arp_for_ha', 1)
         self.conf.root_helper = 'sudo'
 
         self.device_exists_p = mock.patch(