diff --git a/nova/image/glance.py b/nova/image/glance.py
index df6d537a9a..cb5633fe68 100644
--- a/nova/image/glance.py
+++ b/nova/image/glance.py
@@ -645,10 +645,17 @@ class GlanceImageServiceV2(object):
         # where we have to hardcode this parameters.
         if force_activate:
             data = ''
+            # NOTE(danms): If we are using this terrible hack to upload
+            # zero-length data to activate the image, we cannot claim it
+            # is some format other than 'raw'. If the caller asked for
+            # something specific, that's a bug. Otherwise, we must force
+            # disk_format=raw.
             if 'disk_format' not in sent_service_image_meta:
-                sent_service_image_meta['disk_format'] = (
-                    self._get_image_create_disk_format_default(context)
-                )
+                sent_service_image_meta['disk_format'] = 'raw'
+            elif sent_service_image_meta['disk_format'] != 'raw':
+                raise exception.ImageBadRequest(
+                    'Unable to force activate with disk_format=%s' % (
+                        sent_service_image_meta['disk_format']))
             if 'container_format' not in sent_service_image_meta:
                 sent_service_image_meta['container_format'] = 'bare'
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/image/test_glance.py b/nova/tests/unit/image/test_glance.py
index 1623dc85f9..a7051a733f 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/image/test_glance.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/image/test_glance.py
@@ -1721,18 +1721,27 @@ class TestCreate(test.NoDBTestCase):
         client.call.return_value = {'id': '123'}
         ctx = mock.sentinel.ctx
         service = glance.GlanceImageServiceV2(client)
-        with mock.patch.object(service,
-                               '_get_image_create_disk_format_default',
-                               return_value='vdi'):
-            image_meta = service.create(ctx, image_mock)
+        image_meta = service.create(ctx, image_mock)
         trans_to_mock.assert_called_once_with(image_mock)
         # Verify that the disk_format and container_format kwargs are passed.
         create_call_kwargs = client.call.call_args_list[0][1]['kwargs']
-        self.assertEqual('vdi', create_call_kwargs['disk_format'])
+        self.assertEqual('raw', create_call_kwargs['disk_format'])
         self.assertEqual('bare', create_call_kwargs['container_format'])
         trans_from_mock.assert_called_once_with({'id': '123'})
         self.assertEqual(mock.sentinel.trans_from, image_meta)
 
+    def test_create_v2_rejects_incompatible_disk_format(self):
+        client = mock.MagicMock()
+        client.call.return_value = {'id': '123'}
+        ctx = mock.sentinel.ctx
+        service = glance.GlanceImageServiceV2(client)
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(exception.ImageBadRequest,
+                               'Unable to force activate',
+                               service._create_v2,
+                               ctx,
+                               {'disk_format': 'qcow2'},
+                               force_activate=True)
+
     @mock.patch('nova.image.glance._translate_from_glance')
     @mock.patch('nova.image.glance._translate_to_glance')
     def test_create_success_v2_with_location(