diff --git a/src/k8s/api/v1/cluster_config.go b/src/k8s/api/v1/cluster_config.go
index 8d35d1e714..76d97b7b70 100644
--- a/src/k8s/api/v1/cluster_config.go
+++ b/src/k8s/api/v1/cluster_config.go
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ func (c IngressConfig) GetDefaultTLSSecret() string  { return getField(c.Default
 func (c IngressConfig) GetEnableProxyProtocol() bool { return getField(c.EnableProxyProtocol) }
 
 type LoadBalancerConfig struct {
-	Driver         *string   `json:"driver,omitempty" yaml:"driver,omitempty"`
 	Enabled        *bool     `json:"enabled,omitempty" yaml:"enabled,omitempty"`
 	CIDRs          *[]string `json:"cidrs,omitempty" yaml:"cidrs,omitempty"`
 	L2Mode         *bool     `json:"l2-mode,omitempty" yaml:"l2-mode,omitempty"`
@@ -91,7 +90,6 @@ type LoadBalancerConfig struct {
 	BGPPeerPort    *int      `json:"bgp-peer-port,omitempty" yaml:"bgp-peer-port,omitempty"`
 }
 
-func (c LoadBalancerConfig) GetDriver() string         { return getField(c.Driver) }
 func (c LoadBalancerConfig) GetEnabled() bool          { return getField(c.Enabled) }
 func (c LoadBalancerConfig) GetCIDRs() []string        { return getField(c.CIDRs) }
 func (c LoadBalancerConfig) GetL2Mode() bool           { return getField(c.L2Mode) }
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults.go
index d73a8e0d01..c0ef17de36 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults.go
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ func (c *ClusterConfig) SetDefaults() {
 		c.LocalStorage.Default = utils.Pointer(true)
 	}
 	// load balancer
-	if c.LoadBalancer.Driver == nil {
-		c.LoadBalancer.Driver = utils.Pointer("cilium")
-	}
 	if c.LoadBalancer.Enabled == nil {
 		c.LoadBalancer.Enabled = utils.Pointer(false)
 	}
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults_test.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults_test.go
index b8bb7cf947..6b2e5ac861 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults_test.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_defaults_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 package types_test
 
 import (
-	"testing"
-
 	"github.com/canonical/k8s/pkg/utils"
+	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/canonical/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ func TestSetDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 			Default:       utils.Pointer(true),
 		},
 		LoadBalancer: types.LoadBalancer{
-			Driver:         utils.Pointer("cilium"),
 			Enabled:        utils.Pointer(false),
 			CIDRs:          utils.Pointer([]string{}),
 			L2Mode:         utils.Pointer(false),
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_features.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_features.go
index 2d3e8f5ede..87eaa2f55a 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_features.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/types/cluster_config_features.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ type Ingress struct {
 }
 
 type LoadBalancer struct {
-	Driver         *string                 `json:"driver,omitempty"`
 	Enabled        *bool                   `json:"enabled,omitempty"`
 	CIDRs          *[]string               `json:"cidrs,omitempty"`
 	IPRanges       *[]LoadBalancer_IPRange `json:"ranges,omitempty"`