diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 525d7004..aaf6a065 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -591,10 +591,11 @@ nova_enabled_mdev_types: "{{ nova_enabled_vgpu_types | default({}) }}"
 
 # PCI devices passthrough to nova
 # For SR-IOV please use:
-#   nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist: '{ "physical_network": "<ml2 network name>", "devname": "<physical nic>" }'
+#   nova_device_spec: '{ "physical_network": "<ml2 network name>", "devname": "<physical nic>" }'
 #   Example:
-#     nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist: '{ "physical_network": "physnet1", "devname": "p1p1" }'
-nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist: {}
+#     nova_device_spec: '{ "physical_network": "physnet1", "devname": "p1p1" }'
+nova_device_spec: "{{ nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist | default({}) }}"
+
 # PCI alias,
 # Example:
 # nova_pci_alias:
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/nova_device_spec-0175a30b2295b768.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/nova_device_spec-0175a30b2295b768.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ffa93fab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/nova_device_spec-0175a30b2295b768.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - |
+    `nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist` is now deprecated in favor of `nova_device_spec`.
diff --git a/templates/nova.conf.j2 b/templates/nova.conf.j2
index 3ccd5786..62f6b999 100644
--- a/templates/nova.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/nova.conf.j2
@@ -330,11 +330,11 @@ device_addresses = {{ (record.address is string) | ternary(record.address, recor
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
 
-{% if nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist or nova_pci_alias %}
+{% if nova_device_spec or nova_pci_alias %}
 [pci]
-{% if nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist %}
+{% if nova_device_spec %}
 # White list of PCI devices available to VMs.
-passthrough_whitelist = {{ nova_pci_passthrough_whitelist }}
+device_spec = {{ nova_device_spec }}
 {% endif %}
 {% if nova_pci_alias %}
 # PCI Alias