diff --git a/cmd/podman/common/create.go b/cmd/podman/common/create.go
index 1c1a7c3e33..d28becc8a0 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/common/create.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/common/create.go
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func DefineCreateFlags(cmd *cobra.Command, cf *entities.ContainerCreateOptions,
 		logDriverFlagName := "log-driver"
 		createFlags.StringVar(
 			&cf.LogDriver,
-			logDriverFlagName, logDriver(),
+			logDriverFlagName, LogDriver(),
 			"Logging driver for the container",
 		)
 		_ = cmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(logDriverFlagName, AutocompleteLogDriver)
diff --git a/cmd/podman/common/create_opts.go b/cmd/podman/common/create_opts.go
index 16f193b03c..c40d1ea515 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/common/create_opts.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/common/create_opts.go
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ func volumes() []string {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func logDriver() string {
+func LogDriver() string {
 	if !registry.IsRemote() {
 		return containerConfig.Containers.LogDriver
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/podman/play/kube.go b/cmd/podman/play/kube.go
index 40d14a609b..3be7396ce9 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/play/kube.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/play/kube.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func init() {
 	_ = kubeCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(staticIPFlagName, completion.AutocompleteNone)
 
 	logDriverFlagName := "log-driver"
-	flags.StringVar(&kubeOptions.LogDriver, logDriverFlagName, "", "Logging driver for the container")
+	flags.StringVar(&kubeOptions.LogDriver, logDriverFlagName, common.LogDriver(), "Logging driver for the container")
 	_ = kubeCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(logDriverFlagName, common.AutocompleteLogDriver)
 
 	logOptFlagName := "log-opt"
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/play.go b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/play.go
index ca9ada7615..b71afc28cf 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/play.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/play.go
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ func PlayKube(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		password = authConf.Password
 	}
 
+	logDriver := query.LogDriver
+	if logDriver == "" {
+		config, err := runtime.GetConfig()
+		if err != nil {
+			utils.Error(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err)
+			return
+		}
+		query.LogDriver = config.Containers.LogDriver
+	}
+
 	containerEngine := abi.ContainerEngine{Libpod: runtime}
 	options := entities.PlayKubeOptions{
 		Annotations: query.Annotations,
diff --git a/test/system/700-play.bats b/test/system/700-play.bats
index b0624cbf22..7988b26a40 100644
--- a/test/system/700-play.bats
+++ b/test/system/700-play.bats
@@ -278,3 +278,20 @@ status: {}
     run_podman 125 play kube - < $PODMAN_TMPDIR/test.yaml
     assert "$output" =~ "invalid annotation \"test\"=\"$RANDOMSTRING\"" "Expected to fail with annotation length greater than 63"
 }
+
+@test "podman play kube - default log driver" {
+    TESTDIR=$PODMAN_TMPDIR/testdir
+    mkdir -p $TESTDIR
+    echo "$testYaml" | sed "s|TESTDIR|${TESTDIR}|g" > $PODMAN_TMPDIR/test.yaml
+    # Get the default log driver
+    run_podman info --format "{{.Host.LogDriver}}"
+    default_driver=$output
+
+    # Make sure that the default log driver is used
+    run_podman play kube $PODMAN_TMPDIR/test.yaml
+    run_podman inspect --format "{{.HostConfig.LogConfig.Type}}" test_pod-test
+    is "$output" "$default_driver" "play kube uses default log driver"
+
+    run_podman stop -a -t 0
+    run_podman pod rm -t 0 -f test_pod
+}