diff --git a/group_vars/all.yml.sample b/group_vars/all.yml.sample
index 89063eac8..08ac4e2b8 100644
--- a/group_vars/all.yml.sample
+++ b/group_vars/all.yml.sample
@@ -387,17 +387,18 @@ dummy:
 
 ## Rados Gateway options
 #
-#radosgw_frontend_type: civetweb # For additionnal frontends see: http://docs.ceph.com/docs/mimic/radosgw/frontends/
+#radosgw_frontend_type: beast # For additional frontends see: http://docs.ceph.com/docs/nautilus/radosgw/frontends/
 
 #radosgw_civetweb_port: 8080
-#radosgw_civetweb_num_threads: 100
+#radosgw_civetweb_num_threads: 512
 #radosgw_civetweb_options: "num_threads={{ radosgw_civetweb_num_threads }}"
 # For additional civetweb configuration options available such as SSL, logging,
 # keepalive, and timeout settings, please see the civetweb docs at
 # https://github.com/civetweb/civetweb/blob/master/docs/UserManual.md
 
 #radosgw_frontend_port: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_port if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else '8080' }}"
-#radosgw_frontend_options: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_options if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' }}"
+#radosgw_frontend_options: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_options if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else '' }}"
+#radosgw_thread_pool_size: 512
 
 
 # You must define either radosgw_interface, radosgw_address.
diff --git a/group_vars/rhcs.yml.sample b/group_vars/rhcs.yml.sample
index 468d64210..639314060 100644
--- a/group_vars/rhcs.yml.sample
+++ b/group_vars/rhcs.yml.sample
@@ -387,17 +387,18 @@ ceph_rhcs_version: 3
 
 ## Rados Gateway options
 #
-#radosgw_frontend_type: civetweb # For additionnal frontends see: http://docs.ceph.com/docs/mimic/radosgw/frontends/
+#radosgw_frontend_type: beast # For additional frontends see: http://docs.ceph.com/docs/nautilus/radosgw/frontends/
 
 #radosgw_civetweb_port: 8080
-#radosgw_civetweb_num_threads: 100
+#radosgw_civetweb_num_threads: 512
 #radosgw_civetweb_options: "num_threads={{ radosgw_civetweb_num_threads }}"
 # For additional civetweb configuration options available such as SSL, logging,
 # keepalive, and timeout settings, please see the civetweb docs at
 # https://github.com/civetweb/civetweb/blob/master/docs/UserManual.md
 
 #radosgw_frontend_port: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_port if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else '8080' }}"
-#radosgw_frontend_options: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_options if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' }}"
+#radosgw_frontend_options: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_options if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else '' }}"
+#radosgw_thread_pool_size: 512
 
 
 # You must define either radosgw_interface, radosgw_address.
diff --git a/roles/ceph-config/templates/ceph.conf.j2 b/roles/ceph-config/templates/ceph.conf.j2
index be9789022..88759a8fe 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-config/templates/ceph.conf.j2
+++ b/roles/ceph-config/templates/ceph.conf.j2
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ host = {{ _rgw_hostname }}
 keyring = /var/lib/ceph/radosgw/{{ cluster }}-rgw.{{ _rgw_hostname + '.' + instance['instance_name'] }}/keyring
 log file = /var/log/ceph/{{ cluster }}-rgw-{{ hostvars[host]['ansible_hostname'] + '.' + instance['instance_name'] }}.log
 rgw frontends = {{ radosgw_frontend_type }} {{ 'port' if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else 'endpoint' }}={{ instance['radosgw_address'] }}:{{ instance['radosgw_frontend_port'] }} {{ radosgw_frontend_options }}
+{% if 'num_threads' not in radosgw_frontend_options %}
+rgw thread pool size = {{ radosgw_thread_pool_size }}
+{% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/roles/ceph-defaults/defaults/main.yml b/roles/ceph-defaults/defaults/main.yml
index 038cbec6e..9b762dc03 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-defaults/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-defaults/defaults/main.yml
@@ -379,17 +379,18 @@ mds_max_mds: 1
 
 ## Rados Gateway options
 #
-radosgw_frontend_type: civetweb # For additionnal frontends see: http://docs.ceph.com/docs/mimic/radosgw/frontends/
+radosgw_frontend_type: beast # For additionnal frontends see: http://docs.ceph.com/docs/nautilus/radosgw/frontends/
 
 radosgw_civetweb_port: 8080
-radosgw_civetweb_num_threads: 100
+radosgw_civetweb_num_threads: 512
 radosgw_civetweb_options: "num_threads={{ radosgw_civetweb_num_threads }}"
 # For additional civetweb configuration options available such as SSL, logging,
 # keepalive, and timeout settings, please see the civetweb docs at
 # https://github.com/civetweb/civetweb/blob/master/docs/UserManual.md
 
 radosgw_frontend_port: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_port if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else '8080' }}"
-radosgw_frontend_options: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_options if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' }}"
+radosgw_frontend_options: "{{ radosgw_civetweb_options if radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb' else '' }}"
+radosgw_thread_pool_size: 512
 
 
 # You must define either radosgw_interface, radosgw_address.
diff --git a/roles/ceph-validate/tasks/main.yml b/roles/ceph-validate/tasks/main.yml
index 3150ca6e4..49761bd16 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-validate/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-validate/tasks/main.yml
@@ -96,3 +96,10 @@
   include_tasks: check_iscsi.yml
   when:
     - iscsi_gw_group_name in group_names
+
+- name: warn about radosgw_civetweb_num_threads option deprecation
+  debug:
+    msg: "WARNING: radosgw_civetweb_num_threads variable is deprecated. Please use radosgw_thread_pool_size instead"
+  when:
+    - radosgw_frontend_type == 'civetweb'
+    - radosgw_civetweb_num_threads is defined