diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index b5d22b1c3713..c9fc1b59fc56 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -1061,4 +1061,5 @@
 SYSTEM_USERNAME = None
 
 # feature flags
-FLAGS = {'FEATURE_INDIRECT_NODE_COUNTING_ENABLED': [{'condition': 'boolean', 'value': False}]}
+INDIRECT_NODE_COUNTING_ENABLED = False
+FLAGS = {'FEATURE_INDIRECT_NODE_COUNTING_ENABLED': [{'condition': 'boolean', 'value': INDIRECT_NODE_COUNTING_ENABLED}]}