diff --git a/salt/states/btrfs.py b/salt/states/btrfs.py
index 36d9607890bb..b2b939d53547 100644
--- a/salt/states/btrfs.py
+++ b/salt/states/btrfs.py
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
 
 @__mount_device
 def subvolume_created(name, device, qgroupids=None, set_default=False,
-                      copy_on_write=True, __dest=None):
+                      copy_on_write=True, force_set_default=True,
+                      __dest=None):
     '''
     Makes sure that a btrfs subvolume is present.
 
@@ -150,6 +151,10 @@ def subvolume_created(name, device, qgroupids=None, set_default=False,
     copy_on_write
         If false, set the subvolume with chattr +C
 
+    force_set_default
+        If false and the subvolume is already present, it will not
+        force it as default if ``set_default`` is True
+
     '''
     ret = {
         'name': name,
@@ -190,7 +195,10 @@ def subvolume_created(name, device, qgroupids=None, set_default=False,
 
         ret['changes'][name] = 'Created subvolume {}'.format(name)
 
-    if set_default and not _is_default(path, __dest, name):
+    # If the volume was already present, we can opt-out the check for
+    # default subvolume.
+    if (not exists or (exists and force_set_default)) and \
+       set_default and not _is_default(path, __dest, name):
         ret['changes'][name + '_default'] = _set_default(path, __dest, name)
 
     if not copy_on_write and _is_cow(path):
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_btrfs.py b/tests/unit/states/test_btrfs.py
index b07080ff6b49..f7edd1f92ba3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_btrfs.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_btrfs.py
@@ -316,6 +316,42 @@ def test_subvolume_created_exists_set_default(self, mount, umount,
             mount.assert_called_once()
             umount.assert_called_once()
 
+    @patch('salt.states.btrfs._set_default')
+    @patch('salt.states.btrfs._is_default')
+    @patch('salt.states.btrfs._umount')
+    @patch('salt.states.btrfs._mount')
+    def test_subvolume_created_exists_set_default_no_force(self,
+                                                           mount,
+                                                           umount,
+                                                           is_default,
+                                                           set_default):
+        '''
+        Test creating a subvolume.
+        '''
+        mount.return_value = '/tmp/xxx'
+        is_default.return_value = False
+        set_default.return_value = True
+        salt_mock = {
+            'btrfs.subvolume_exists': MagicMock(return_value=True),
+        }
+        opts_mock = {
+            'test': False,
+        }
+        with patch.dict(btrfs.__salt__, salt_mock), \
+                patch.dict(btrfs.__opts__, opts_mock):
+            assert btrfs.subvolume_created(name='@/var',
+                                           device='/dev/sda1',
+                                           set_default=True,
+                                           force_set_default=False) == {
+                'name': '@/var',
+                'result': True,
+                'changes': {},
+                'comment': ['Subvolume @/var already present'],
+            }
+            salt_mock['btrfs.subvolume_exists'].assert_called_with('/tmp/xxx/@/var')
+            mount.assert_called_once()
+            umount.assert_called_once()
+
     @patch('salt.states.btrfs._is_cow')
     @patch('salt.states.btrfs._umount')
     @patch('salt.states.btrfs._mount')