diff --git a/cmd/kube-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go b/cmd/kube-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go
index 5691fa2952c..0eaf0b8e7c3 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go
+++ b/cmd/kube-controller-manager/app/controllermanager.go
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ func NewCMServer() *CMServer {
 		RegisterRetryCount:                10,
 		PodEvictionTimeout:                5 * time.Minute,
 		ClusterName:                       "kubernetes",
+		TerminatedPodGCThreshold:          12500,
 		VolumeConfigFlags: VolumeConfigFlags{
 			// default values here
 			PersistentVolumeRecyclerMinimumTimeoutNFS:        300,