diff --git a/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/k8s-net-kube-router.yml b/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/k8s-net-kube-router.yml
index e4dfcc9b58d53b4ba3299e38ca1df7505feebde4..144b381029ace46f721f3d54968daa9d56af65ac 100644
--- a/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/k8s-net-kube-router.yml
+++ b/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/k8s-net-kube-router.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 # Add LoadBalancer IP of service status as set by the LB provider to the RIB so that it gets advertised to the BGP peers.
 # kube_router_advertise_loadbalancer_ip: false
 
+# Enables BGP graceful restarts
+# kube_router_bgp_graceful_restart: true
+
 # Adjust manifest of kube-router daemonset template with DSR needed changes
 # kube_router_enable_dsr: false
 
diff --git a/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/defaults/main.yml b/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/defaults/main.yml
index 5d4dccc34f17c3e648c7343f93d13181d3674b15..c01a3532bd80a569964505d45bdb60798b6c7405 100644
--- a/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/defaults/main.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ kube_router_advertise_external_ip: false
 # Add LoadBalancer IP of service status as set by the LB provider to the RIB so that it gets advertised to the BGP peers.
 kube_router_advertise_loadbalancer_ip: false
 
+# Enables BGP graceful restarts
+kube_router_bgp_graceful_restart: true
+
 # Adjust manifest of kube-router daemonset template with DSR needed changes
 kube_router_enable_dsr: false
 
diff --git a/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/templates/kube-router.yml.j2 b/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/templates/kube-router.yml.j2
index ab677abc8894bdb29b83a2ae47067c71c3ad976d..89ded6e4927dfeac420c83995eda94b656a2138f 100644
--- a/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/templates/kube-router.yml.j2
+++ b/roles/network_plugin/kube-router/templates/kube-router.yml.j2
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ spec:
         - --run-firewall={{ kube_router_run_firewall | bool }}
         - --run-service-proxy={{ kube_router_run_service_proxy | bool }}
         - --kubeconfig=/var/lib/kube-router/kubeconfig
-        - --bgp-graceful-restart=true
+        - --bgp-graceful-restart={{ kube_router_bgp_graceful_restart }}
 {% if kube_router_advertise_cluster_ip %}
         - --advertise-cluster-ip
 {% endif %}