diff --git a/data/defaults.yaml b/data/defaults.yaml
--- a/data/defaults.yaml
+++ b/data/defaults.yaml
@@ -1098,10 +1098,7 @@
 swh::base_directory: /srv/softwareheritage
 swh::conf_directory: /etc/softwareheritage
 swh::log_directory: /var/log/softwareheritage
-swh::global_conf::file: "%{hiera('swh::conf_directory')}/global.yml"
-swh::global_conf::contents: |
-  # Managed by puppet (class profile::swh) - modifications will be overwritten
-  log_db:
+swh::global_conf::file: "%{hiera('swh::conf_directory')}/global.ini"
 
 swh::apt_config::swh_repository::hostname: debian.softwareheritage.org
 swh::apt_config::swh_repository: "https://%{hiera('swh::apt_config::swh_repository::hostname')}/"
diff --git a/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh.pp b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh.pp
--- a/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh.pp
+++ b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh.pp
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
   $swh_base_directory = lookup('swh::base_directory')
   $swh_conf_directory = lookup('swh::conf_directory')
   $swh_global_conf_file = lookup('swh::global_conf::file')
-  $swh_global_conf_contents = lookup('swh::global_conf::contents')
   $swh_log_directory = lookup('swh::log_directory')
 
   $swh_logrotate_conf = '/etc/logrotate.d/softwareheritage'
@@ -21,11 +20,10 @@
   }
 
   file {$swh_global_conf_file:
-    ensure  => 'file',
+    ensure  => 'absent',
     owner   => 'root',
     group   => 'root',
     mode    => '0644',
-    content => $swh_global_conf_contents,
   }
 
   file {$swh_logrotate_conf: