diff --git a/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 5aa4d536450..11a10cda8e1 100644
--- a/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureS
 	DaemonSetUpdateSurge:                           {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},                    // on by default in 1.22
 	ImmutableEphemeralVolumes:                      {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true}, // remove in 1.24
 	HugePageStorageMediumSize:                      {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true}, // remove in 1.24
-	DownwardAPIHugePages:                           {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},                   // on by default in 1.22
+	DownwardAPIHugePages:                           {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},                    // on by default in 1.22
 	AnyVolumeDataSource:                            {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
 	DefaultPodTopologySpread:                       {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	SetHostnameAsFQDN:                              {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true}, //remove in 1.24