diff --git a/awx/main/tasks.py b/awx/main/tasks.py
index 992620fbd8..b7b3bf943c 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks.py
@@ -3012,7 +3012,7 @@ class AWXReceptorJob:
             return self._run_internal(receptor_ctl)
         finally:
             # Make sure to always release the work unit if we established it
-            if self.unit_id is not None and not settings.AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_KEEP_POD:
+            if self.unit_id is not None and settings.RECEPTOR_RELEASE_WORK:
                 receptor_ctl.simple_command(f"work release {self.unit_id}")
 
     def _run_internal(self, receptor_ctl):
diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index b6a3966647..018e58c848 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ DATABASES = {
 # the K8S cluster where awx itself is running)
 IS_K8S = False
 
-AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_KEEP_POD = False
+RECEPTOR_RELEASE_WORK = True
 AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_K8S_API_TIMEOUT = 10
 AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_POD_LAUNCH_RETRIES = 100
 AWX_CONTAINER_GROUP_POD_LAUNCH_RETRY_DELAY = 5