diff --git a/cinder/brick/local_dev/lvm.py b/cinder/brick/local_dev/lvm.py
index 78db70078ed..3c21c29d50e 100644
--- a/cinder/brick/local_dev/lvm.py
+++ b/cinder/brick/local_dev/lvm.py
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ class LVM(executor.Executor):
         self._supports_lvchange_ignoreskipactivation = None
         self.vg_provisioned_capacity = 0.0
 
+        if lvm_type not in ['default', 'thin']:
+            raise exception.Invalid('lvm_type must be "default" or "thin"')
+
         # Ensure LVM_SYSTEM_DIR has been added to LVM.LVM_CMD_PREFIX
         # before the first LVM command is executed, and use the directory
         # where the specified lvm_conf file is located as the value.
diff --git a/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/test_lvm_driver.py b/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/test_lvm_driver.py
index 2a944269fd6..8acf89f307c 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/test_lvm_driver.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/test_lvm_driver.py
@@ -284,6 +284,10 @@ class LVMVolumeDriverTestCase(test_driver.BaseDriverTestCase):
 
     @mock.patch.object(cinder.volume.utils, 'get_all_volume_groups',
                        return_value=[{'name': 'cinder-volumes'}])
+    @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.get_lv_info')
+    @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.activate_lv')
+    @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.'
+                'supports_lvchange_ignoreskipactivation')
     @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.update_volume_group_info')
     @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.get_all_physical_volumes')
     @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.supports_thin_provisioning',
@@ -300,6 +304,10 @@ class LVMVolumeDriverTestCase(test_driver.BaseDriverTestCase):
 
     @mock.patch.object(cinder.volume.utils, 'get_all_volume_groups',
                        return_value=[{'name': 'cinder-volumes'}])
+    @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.get_lv_info')
+    @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.activate_lv')
+    @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.'
+                'supports_lvchange_ignoreskipactivation')
     @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.update_volume_group_info')
     @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.get_all_physical_volumes')
     @mock.patch('cinder.brick.local_dev.lvm.LVM.get_volume')
diff --git a/cinder/volume/drivers/lvm.py b/cinder/volume/drivers/lvm.py
index 18e5dc5bd03..74f6f8ed885 100644
--- a/cinder/volume/drivers/lvm.py
+++ b/cinder/volume/drivers/lvm.py
@@ -291,10 +291,16 @@ class LVMVolumeDriver(driver.VolumeDriver):
                 lvm_conf_file = None
 
             try:
+                lvm_type = self.configuration.lvm_type
+                if lvm_type == 'auto':
+                    if volutils.supports_thin_provisioning():
+                        lvm_type = 'thin'
+                    else:
+                        lvm_type = 'default'
                 self.vg = lvm.LVM(
                     self.configuration.volume_group,
                     root_helper,
-                    lvm_type=self.configuration.lvm_type,
+                    lvm_type=lvm_type,
                     executor=self._execute,
                     lvm_conf=lvm_conf_file,
                     suppress_fd_warn=(