diff --git a/ironic/conf/redfish.py b/ironic/conf/redfish.py
index 87a359d097..7ef0ff4b61 100644
--- a/ironic/conf/redfish.py
+++ b/ironic/conf/redfish.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ opts = [
                default='auto',
                help=_('Redfish HTTP client authentication method.')),
     cfg.BoolOpt('use_swift',
-                default=True,
+                default=False,
                 mutable=True,
                 help=_('Upload generated ISO images for virtual media boot to '
                        'Swift, then pass temporary URL to BMC for booting the '
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/redfish-virtual-media-default-not-swift-3917f0e14fd62a0d.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/redfish-virtual-media-default-not-swift-3917f0e14fd62a0d.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..add8df608a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/redfish-virtual-media-default-not-swift-3917f0e14fd62a0d.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    The default value for ``[redfish]use_swift`` has been changed to
+    ``false``. This is to limit URL validation challenges presented by some
+    baseboard management controllers where characters in the Swift temporary
+    URL form are rejected by Baseboard Management Controllers.