diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_route.c b/bgpd/bgp_route.c
index d799ea0bd8..1f1b900444 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_route.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_route.c
@@ -3757,7 +3757,8 @@ static void bgp_process_main_one(struct bgp *bgp, struct bgp_dest *dest,
 	if (old_select || new_select) {
 		bgp_bump_version(dest);
 
-		if (!bgp->t_rmap_def_originate_eval)
+		if (!bgp->t_rmap_def_originate_eval &&
+		    bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer)
 			event_add_timer(
 				bm->master,
 				update_group_refresh_default_originate_route_map,
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
index f669564bb8..b6c16a340f 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
@@ -8417,7 +8417,7 @@ DEFPY (bgp_condadv_period,
 
 DEFPY (bgp_def_originate_eval,
        bgp_def_originate_eval_cmd,
-       "[no$no] bgp default-originate timer (0-3600)$timer",
+       "[no$no] bgp default-originate timer (0-65535)$timer",
        NO_STR
        BGP_STR
        "Control default-originate\n"
@@ -8426,8 +8426,7 @@ DEFPY (bgp_def_originate_eval,
 {
 	VTY_DECLVAR_CONTEXT(bgp, bgp);
 
-	bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer =
-		no ? RMAP_DEFAULT_ORIGINATE_EVAL_TIMER : timer;
+	bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer = no ? 0 : timer;
 
 	if (bgp->t_rmap_def_originate_eval)
 		EVENT_OFF(bgp->t_rmap_def_originate_eval);
@@ -19792,8 +19791,9 @@ int bgp_config_write(struct vty *vty)
 				bgp->condition_check_period);
 
 		/* default-originate timer configuration */
-		if (bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer !=
-		    RMAP_DEFAULT_ORIGINATE_EVAL_TIMER)
+		if (bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer &&
+		    bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer !=
+			    RMAP_DEFAULT_ORIGINATE_EVAL_TIMER)
 			vty_out(vty, " bgp default-originate timer %u\n",
 				bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer);
 
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index 9d36ed9008..23ab4d3d91 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -3527,7 +3527,7 @@ static struct bgp *bgp_create(as_t *as, const char *name,
 	bgp_addpath_init_bgp_data(&bgp->tx_addpath);
 	bgp->fast_convergence = false;
 	bgp->llgr_stale_time = BGP_DEFAULT_LLGR_STALE_TIME;
-	bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer = RMAP_DEFAULT_ORIGINATE_EVAL_TIMER;
+	bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer = 0;
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_BGP_VNC
 	if (inst_type != BGP_INSTANCE_TYPE_VRF) {
@@ -5791,6 +5791,10 @@ int peer_default_originate_set(struct peer *peer, afi_t afi, safi_t safi,
 	subgrp = peer_subgroup(peer, afi, safi);
 
 	if (rmap) {
+		if (!peer->bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer)
+			peer->bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer =
+				RMAP_DEFAULT_ORIGINATE_EVAL_TIMER;
+
 		if (!peer->default_rmap[afi][safi].name
 		    || strcmp(rmap, peer->default_rmap[afi][safi].name) != 0) {
 			struct route_map *map = NULL;
@@ -5873,6 +5877,10 @@ int peer_default_originate_set(struct peer *peer, afi_t afi, safi_t safi,
 		if (rmap) {
 			struct route_map *map = NULL;
 
+			if (!member->bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer)
+				member->bgp->rmap_def_originate_eval_timer =
+					RMAP_DEFAULT_ORIGINATE_EVAL_TIMER;
+
 			if (member->default_rmap[afi][safi].name) {
 				map = route_map_lookup_by_name(
 					member->default_rmap[afi][safi].name);
diff --git a/doc/user/bgp.rst b/doc/user/bgp.rst
index b6d289fac9..e93975631b 100644
--- a/doc/user/bgp.rst
+++ b/doc/user/bgp.rst
@@ -1972,12 +1972,14 @@ Configuring Peers
    and will not be displayed as part of a `show run`.  The no form
    of the command turns off this ability.
 
-.. clicmd:: bgp default-originate timer (0-3600)
+.. clicmd:: bgp default-originate timer (0-65535)
 
    Set the period to rerun the default-originate route-map scanner process. The
    default is 5 seconds. With a full routing table, it might be useful to increase
    this setting to avoid scanning the whole BGP table aggressively.
 
+   Setting to 0 turns off the scanning at all.
+
 .. clicmd:: bgp default ipv4-unicast
 
    This command allows the user to specify that the IPv4 Unicast address