diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options.go
index cc8eb83bd4d..5bd078ec782 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options.go
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ func (o *LeaderMigrationOptions) ApplyTo(cfg *config.GenericControllerManagerCon
 		return nil
 	}
 	if o.ControllerMigrationConfig == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("--leader-migration-config is required")
+		cfg.LeaderMigration = *migrationconfig.DefaultLeaderMigrationConfiguration()
+		return nil
 	}
 	leaderMigrationConfig, err := migrationconfig.ReadLeaderMigrationConfiguration(o.ControllerMigrationConfig)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options_test.go
index 8d668896749..59af7ee1ae3 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/options/options_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	featuregatetesting "k8s.io/component-base/featuregate/testing"
 	"k8s.io/controller-manager/config"
 	"k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/features"
+	migrationconfig "k8s.io/controller-manager/pkg/leadermigration/config"
 )
 
 func TestLeaderMigrationOptions(t *testing.T) {
@@ -53,11 +54,12 @@ func TestLeaderMigrationOptions(t *testing.T) {
 			expectErr:         true,
 		},
 		{
-			name:              "enabled, but missing configuration file",
+			name:              "enabled, with default configuration",
 			flags:             []string{"--enable-leader-migration"},
 			enableFeatureGate: true,
 			expectEnabled:     true,
-			expectErr:         true,
+			expectErr:         false,
+			expectConfig:      migrationconfig.DefaultLeaderMigrationConfiguration(),
 		},
 		{
 			name:              "enabled, with custom configuration file",