diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 7f8dbc74..ae2d0f17 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ tripleo_upgrade_debug: false
 # independently in spite of validation errors.
 tripleo_upgrade_validations_non_fatal: false
 
+# When set to true, the converge operations (update, upgrade, ffwd)
+# will run with --update-plan-only. This does not provide full
+# verification of the process, but might be necessary to fit within a
+# reasonable job run time for gating.
+tripleo_upgrade_converge_plan_only: false
+
 ## If set to true, overcloud upgrade will be run for each of the
 # playbooks defined in 'overcloud_upgrade_playbooks', otherwise
 # 'all' will be passed into --playbooks option.
diff --git a/templates/overcloud_upgrade_converge.sh.j2 b/templates/overcloud_upgrade_converge.sh.j2
index 1c5f3970..b1f087c6 100644
--- a/templates/overcloud_upgrade_converge.sh.j2
+++ b/templates/overcloud_upgrade_converge.sh.j2
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ openstack overcloud {% if ffu_overcloud_upgrade %} ffwd-upgrade {% else %} upgra
 {% endif %}
 {% if tripleo_upgrade_validations_non_fatal|bool %}
         --validation-errors-nonfatal \
+{% endif %}
+{% if tripleo_upgrade_converge_plan_only|bool %}
+    --update-plan-only \
 {% endif %}
     --templates {{ tht_directory }} \
     --stack {{ overcloud_stack_name }} \