diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index e2cb82c1e..f07db68b7 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Notable changes between versions.
 #### Addons
 
 * Raise nginx-ingress liveness/readiness timeout to 5 seconds
+* Remove nginx-ingess default-backend
+  * nginx-ingress now responds with its own 404 page by default
 * Improve Prometheus metrics labels and drop extraneous metrics ([#397](https://github.com/poseidon/typhoon/pull/397))
   * Add `pod` name label to metrics discovered via service endpoints
   * Rename `kubernetes_namespace` label to `namespace`
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/default-backend/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/default-backend/deployment.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ce6401897..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/default-backend/deployment.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-kind: Deployment
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  replicas: 1
-  selector:
-    matchLabels:
-      name: default-backend
-      phase: prod
-  template:
-    metadata:
-      labels:
-        name: default-backend
-        phase: prod
-      annotations:
-        seccomp.security.alpha.kubernetes.io/pod: 'docker/default'
-    spec:
-      containers:
-        - name: default-backend
-          # Any image is permissable as long as:
-          # 1. It serves a 404 page at /
-          # 2. It serves 200 on a /healthz endpoint
-          image: k8s.gcr.io/defaultbackend:1.4
-          ports:
-            - containerPort: 8080
-          resources:
-            limits:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-            requests:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-          livenessProbe:
-            httpGet:
-              path: /healthz
-              port: 8080
-              scheme: HTTP
-            initialDelaySeconds: 30
-            timeoutSeconds: 5
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 60
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/default-backend/service.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/default-backend/service.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 87997aba0..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/default-backend/service.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: Service
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  type: ClusterIP
-  selector:
-    name: default-backend
-    phase: prod
-  ports:
-    - name: http
-      protocol: TCP
-      port: 80
-      targetPort: 8080
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/deployment.yaml
index cd841eb5a..1f537e253 100644
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/deployment.yaml
+++ b/addons/nginx-ingress/aws/deployment.yaml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ spec:
           image: quay.io/kubernetes-ingress-controller/nginx-ingress-controller:0.22.0
           args:
             - /nginx-ingress-controller
-            - --default-backend-service=$(POD_NAMESPACE)/default-backend
             - --ingress-class=public
           # use downward API
           env:
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/default-backend/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/default-backend/deployment.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ce6401897..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/default-backend/deployment.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-kind: Deployment
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  replicas: 1
-  selector:
-    matchLabels:
-      name: default-backend
-      phase: prod
-  template:
-    metadata:
-      labels:
-        name: default-backend
-        phase: prod
-      annotations:
-        seccomp.security.alpha.kubernetes.io/pod: 'docker/default'
-    spec:
-      containers:
-        - name: default-backend
-          # Any image is permissable as long as:
-          # 1. It serves a 404 page at /
-          # 2. It serves 200 on a /healthz endpoint
-          image: k8s.gcr.io/defaultbackend:1.4
-          ports:
-            - containerPort: 8080
-          resources:
-            limits:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-            requests:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-          livenessProbe:
-            httpGet:
-              path: /healthz
-              port: 8080
-              scheme: HTTP
-            initialDelaySeconds: 30
-            timeoutSeconds: 5
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 60
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/default-backend/service.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/default-backend/service.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 87997aba0..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/default-backend/service.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: Service
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  type: ClusterIP
-  selector:
-    name: default-backend
-    phase: prod
-  ports:
-    - name: http
-      protocol: TCP
-      port: 80
-      targetPort: 8080
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/deployment.yaml
index cd841eb5a..1f537e253 100644
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/deployment.yaml
+++ b/addons/nginx-ingress/azure/deployment.yaml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ spec:
           image: quay.io/kubernetes-ingress-controller/nginx-ingress-controller:0.22.0
           args:
             - /nginx-ingress-controller
-            - --default-backend-service=$(POD_NAMESPACE)/default-backend
             - --ingress-class=public
           # use downward API
           env:
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/default-backend/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/default-backend/deployment.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ce6401897..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/default-backend/deployment.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-kind: Deployment
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  replicas: 1
-  selector:
-    matchLabels:
-      name: default-backend
-      phase: prod
-  template:
-    metadata:
-      labels:
-        name: default-backend
-        phase: prod
-      annotations:
-        seccomp.security.alpha.kubernetes.io/pod: 'docker/default'
-    spec:
-      containers:
-        - name: default-backend
-          # Any image is permissable as long as:
-          # 1. It serves a 404 page at /
-          # 2. It serves 200 on a /healthz endpoint
-          image: k8s.gcr.io/defaultbackend:1.4
-          ports:
-            - containerPort: 8080
-          resources:
-            limits:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-            requests:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-          livenessProbe:
-            httpGet:
-              path: /healthz
-              port: 8080
-              scheme: HTTP
-            initialDelaySeconds: 30
-            timeoutSeconds: 5
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 60
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/default-backend/service.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/default-backend/service.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 87997aba0..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/default-backend/service.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: Service
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  type: ClusterIP
-  selector:
-    name: default-backend
-    phase: prod
-  ports:
-    - name: http
-      protocol: TCP
-      port: 80
-      targetPort: 8080
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/deployment.yaml
index 7ba6b8667..8c61aa0f5 100644
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/deployment.yaml
+++ b/addons/nginx-ingress/bare-metal/deployment.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ spec:
           image: quay.io/kubernetes-ingress-controller/nginx-ingress-controller:0.22.0
           args:
             - /nginx-ingress-controller
-            - --default-backend-service=$(POD_NAMESPACE)/default-backend
             - --ingress-class=public
           # use downward API
           env:
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/daemonset.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/daemonset.yaml
index e733b3b58..29885d6ac 100644
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/daemonset.yaml
+++ b/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/daemonset.yaml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ spec:
           image: quay.io/kubernetes-ingress-controller/nginx-ingress-controller:0.22.0
           args:
             - /nginx-ingress-controller
-            - --default-backend-service=$(POD_NAMESPACE)/default-backend
             - --ingress-class=public
           # use downward API
           env:
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/default-backend/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/default-backend/deployment.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ce6401897..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/default-backend/deployment.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-kind: Deployment
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  replicas: 1
-  selector:
-    matchLabels:
-      name: default-backend
-      phase: prod
-  template:
-    metadata:
-      labels:
-        name: default-backend
-        phase: prod
-      annotations:
-        seccomp.security.alpha.kubernetes.io/pod: 'docker/default'
-    spec:
-      containers:
-        - name: default-backend
-          # Any image is permissable as long as:
-          # 1. It serves a 404 page at /
-          # 2. It serves 200 on a /healthz endpoint
-          image: k8s.gcr.io/defaultbackend:1.4
-          ports:
-            - containerPort: 8080
-          resources:
-            limits:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-            requests:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-          livenessProbe:
-            httpGet:
-              path: /healthz
-              port: 8080
-              scheme: HTTP
-            initialDelaySeconds: 30
-            timeoutSeconds: 5
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 60
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/default-backend/service.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/default-backend/service.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 87997aba0..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/digital-ocean/default-backend/service.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: Service
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  type: ClusterIP
-  selector:
-    name: default-backend
-    phase: prod
-  ports:
-    - name: http
-      protocol: TCP
-      port: 80
-      targetPort: 8080
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/default-backend/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/default-backend/deployment.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ce6401897..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/default-backend/deployment.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-kind: Deployment
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  replicas: 1
-  selector:
-    matchLabels:
-      name: default-backend
-      phase: prod
-  template:
-    metadata:
-      labels:
-        name: default-backend
-        phase: prod
-      annotations:
-        seccomp.security.alpha.kubernetes.io/pod: 'docker/default'
-    spec:
-      containers:
-        - name: default-backend
-          # Any image is permissable as long as:
-          # 1. It serves a 404 page at /
-          # 2. It serves 200 on a /healthz endpoint
-          image: k8s.gcr.io/defaultbackend:1.4
-          ports:
-            - containerPort: 8080
-          resources:
-            limits:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-            requests:
-              cpu: 10m
-              memory: 20Mi
-          livenessProbe:
-            httpGet:
-              path: /healthz
-              port: 8080
-              scheme: HTTP
-            initialDelaySeconds: 30
-            timeoutSeconds: 5
-      terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 60
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/default-backend/service.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/default-backend/service.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 87997aba0..000000000
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/default-backend/service.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: Service
-metadata:
-  name: default-backend
-  namespace: ingress
-spec:
-  type: ClusterIP
-  selector:
-    name: default-backend
-    phase: prod
-  ports:
-    - name: http
-      protocol: TCP
-      port: 80
-      targetPort: 8080
diff --git a/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/deployment.yaml b/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/deployment.yaml
index cd841eb5a..1f537e253 100644
--- a/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/deployment.yaml
+++ b/addons/nginx-ingress/google-cloud/deployment.yaml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ spec:
           image: quay.io/kubernetes-ingress-controller/nginx-ingress-controller:0.22.0
           args:
             - /nginx-ingress-controller
-            - --default-backend-service=$(POD_NAMESPACE)/default-backend
             - --ingress-class=public
           # use downward API
           env: