diff --git a/petri/src/vm/mod.rs b/petri/src/vm/mod.rs
index c08d9cc89e..bb8d5e5e9f 100644
--- a/petri/src/vm/mod.rs
+++ b/petri/src/vm/mod.rs
@@ -1299,6 +1299,10 @@ impl OpenHclConfig {
     /// the command line and log levels.
     pub fn command_line(&self) -> String {
         let mut cmdline = self.command_line.clone();
+
+        // Enable MANA keep-alive by default for all tests
+        append_cmdline(&mut cmdline, "OPENHCL_MANA_KEEP_ALIVE=host,privatepool");
+
         match &self.log_levels {
             OpenHclLogConfig::TestDefault => {
                 let default_log_levels = {
diff --git a/petri/src/vm/openvmm/mod.rs b/petri/src/vm/openvmm/mod.rs
index e467fe2500..79c497071a 100644
--- a/petri/src/vm/openvmm/mod.rs
+++ b/petri/src/vm/openvmm/mod.rs
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ impl PetriVmmBackend for OpenVmmPetriBackend {
     fn default_servicing_flags() -> OpenHclServicingFlags {
         OpenHclServicingFlags {
             enable_nvme_keepalive: true,
-            enable_mana_keepalive: false,
+            enable_mana_keepalive: true,
             override_version_checks: false,
             stop_timeout_hint_secs: None,
         }
diff --git a/vmm_tests/vmm_tests/tests/tests/multiarch/openhcl_servicing.rs b/vmm_tests/vmm_tests/tests/tests/multiarch/openhcl_servicing.rs
index 0fbac7c6d0..47b8203e21 100644
--- a/vmm_tests/vmm_tests/tests/tests/multiarch/openhcl_servicing.rs
+++ b/vmm_tests/vmm_tests/tests/tests/multiarch/openhcl_servicing.rs
@@ -556,9 +556,7 @@ async fn mana_nic_servicing_keepalive(
     let (mut vm, agent) = config
         .with_vmbus_redirect(true)
         .modify_backend(|b| b.with_nic())
-        .with_openhcl_command_line(
-            "OPENHCL_ENABLE_VTL2_GPA_POOL=512 OPENHCL_MANA_KEEP_ALIVE=host,privatepool",
-        )
+        .with_openhcl_command_line("OPENHCL_ENABLE_VTL2_GPA_POOL=512")
         .run()
         .await?;