diff --git a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_parallel_series_upgrade.py b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_parallel_series_upgrade.py
index aefa00b..457ce1b 100644
--- a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_parallel_series_upgrade.py
+++ b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_parallel_series_upgrade.py
@@ -428,6 +428,8 @@ class TestParallelSeriesUpgrade(AioTestCase):
         ])
         mock_post_application_upgrade_functions.assert_called_once_with(None)
 
+    @mock.patch.object(upgrade_utils, 'add_confdef_file')
+    @mock.patch.object(upgrade_utils, 'remove_confdef_file')
     @mock.patch.object(
         upgrade_utils.series_upgrade_utils, 'async_complete_series_upgrade')
     @mock.patch.object(upgrade_utils, 'reboot')
@@ -438,7 +440,9 @@ class TestParallelSeriesUpgrade(AioTestCase):
         mock_async_dist_upgrade,
         mock_async_do_release_upgrade,
         mock_reboot,
-        mock_async_complete_series_upgrade
+        mock_async_complete_series_upgrade,
+        mock_remove_confdef_file,
+        mock_add_confdef_file
     ):
         await upgrade_utils.series_upgrade_machine(
             '1',
@@ -450,7 +454,11 @@ class TestParallelSeriesUpgrade(AioTestCase):
         mock_async_do_release_upgrade.assert_called_once_with('1')
         mock_reboot.assert_called_once_with('1')
         mock_async_complete_series_upgrade.assert_called_once_with('1')
+        mock_remove_confdef_file.assert_called_once_with('1')
+        mock_add_confdef_file.assert_called_once_with('1')
 
+    @mock.patch.object(upgrade_utils, 'add_confdef_file')
+    @mock.patch.object(upgrade_utils, 'remove_confdef_file')
     @mock.patch.object(upgrade_utils.os_utils, 'async_set_origin')
     @mock.patch.object(
         upgrade_utils.series_upgrade_utils, 'async_complete_series_upgrade')
@@ -463,7 +471,9 @@ class TestParallelSeriesUpgrade(AioTestCase):
         mock_async_do_release_upgrade,
         mock_reboot,
         mock_async_complete_series_upgrade,
-        mock_async_set_origin
+        mock_async_set_origin,
+        mock_remove_confdef_file,
+        mock_add_confdef_file
     ):
         await upgrade_utils.series_upgrade_machine(
             '1',
@@ -479,6 +489,8 @@ class TestParallelSeriesUpgrade(AioTestCase):
         mock_async_complete_series_upgrade.assert_called_once_with('1')
         mock_async_set_origin.assert_called_once_with(
             'app', 'openstack-origin')
+        mock_remove_confdef_file.assert_called_once_with('1')
+        mock_add_confdef_file.assert_called_once_with('1')
 
     async def test_maybe_pause_things_primary(self):
         await upgrade_utils.maybe_pause_things(
@@ -523,6 +535,23 @@ class TestParallelSeriesUpgrade(AioTestCase):
             pause_non_leader_primary=False)
         self.async_run_action.assert_not_called()
 
+    async def test_add_confdef_file(self):
+        await upgrade_utils.add_confdef_file('1')
+        cmd = (
+            """echo """
+            """'DPkg::options { "--force-confdef"; "--force-confnew"; }' | """
+            """sudo tee /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/local"""
+        )
+        self.async_run_on_machine.assert_called_once_with(
+            '1', cmd
+        )
+
+    async def test_remove_confdef_file(self):
+        await upgrade_utils.remove_confdef_file('1')
+        self.async_run_on_machine.assert_called_once_with(
+            '1', 'sudo rm /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/local'
+        )
+
     async def test_async_do_release_upgrade(self):
         await upgrade_utils.async_do_release_upgrade('1')
         do_release_upgrade_cmd = (
diff --git a/zaza/openstack/utilities/parallel_series_upgrade.py b/zaza/openstack/utilities/parallel_series_upgrade.py
index 29e276d..9c49d15 100755
--- a/zaza/openstack/utilities/parallel_series_upgrade.py
+++ b/zaza/openstack/utilities/parallel_series_upgrade.py
@@ -381,8 +381,10 @@ async def series_upgrade_machine(
     logging.info(
         "About to series-upgrade ({})".format(machine))
     await run_pre_upgrade_functions(machine, pre_upgrade_functions)
+    await add_confdef_file(machine)
     await async_dist_upgrade(machine)
     await async_do_release_upgrade(machine)
+    await remove_confdef_file(machine)
     await reboot(machine)
     if origin:
         await os_utils.async_set_origin(application, origin)
@@ -390,6 +392,34 @@ async def series_upgrade_machine(
     await run_post_upgrade_functions(post_upgrade_functions)
 
 
+async def add_confdef_file(machine):
+    """Add the file  /etc/apt/apt-conf.d/local setup to accept defaults.
+
+    :param machine: The machine to manage
+    :type machine: str
+    :returns: None
+    :rtype: None
+    """
+    create_file = (
+        """echo 'DPkg::options { "--force-confdef"; "--force-confnew"; }' | """
+        """sudo tee /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/local"""
+    )
+    await model.async_run_on_machine(machine, create_file)
+
+
+async def remove_confdef_file(machine):
+    """Remove the file  /etc/apt/apt-conf.d/local setup to accept defaults.
+
+    :param machine: The machine to manage
+    :type machine: str
+    :returns: None
+    :rtype: None
+    """
+    await model.async_run_on_machine(
+        machine,
+        "sudo rm /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/local")
+
+
 async def run_pre_upgrade_functions(machine, pre_upgrade_functions):
     """Execute list supplied functions.