diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/netconf_config_default_operation.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/netconf_config_default_operation.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f23a4c4caa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/netconf_config_default_operation.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+minor_changes:
+- netconf_config - Make default_operation optional in netconf_config module (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/46333)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf_config.py
index 2c9f5b45645..f4c97b51945 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf_config.py
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ options:
       option completely replaces the configuration in the C(target) datastore. If the value is none the C(target)
       datastore is unaffected by the configuration in the config option, unless and until the incoming configuration
       data uses the C(operation) operation to request a different operation.
-    default: merge
     choices: ['merge', 'replace', 'none']
     version_added: "2.7"
   confirm:
@@ -231,7 +230,7 @@ def main():
         source_datastore=dict(aliases=['source']),
         format=dict(choices=['xml', 'text'], default='xml'),
         lock=dict(choices=['never', 'always', 'if-supported'], default='always'),
-        default_operation=dict(choices=['merge', 'replace', 'none'], default='merge'),
+        default_operation=dict(choices=['merge', 'replace', 'none']),
         confirm=dict(type='int', default=0),
         confirm_commit=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         error_option=dict(choices=['stop-on-error', 'continue-on-error', 'rollback-on-error'], default='stop-on-error'),