diff --git a/configs/development.ini b/configs/development.ini
--- a/configs/development.ini
+++ b/configs/development.ini
@@ -624,7 +624,8 @@ vcs.scm_app_implementation = http
 ; Push/Pull operations hooks protocol, available options are:
 ; `http` - use http-rpc backend (default)
 ; `celery` - use celery based hooks
-vcs.hooks.protocol = http
+#DEPRECATED:vcs.hooks.protocol = http
+vcs.hooks.protocol.v2 = celery
 
 ; Host on which this instance is listening for hooks. vcsserver will call this host to pull/push hooks so it should be
 ; accessible via network.
diff --git a/configs/production.ini b/configs/production.ini
--- a/configs/production.ini
+++ b/configs/production.ini
@@ -592,7 +592,8 @@ vcs.scm_app_implementation = http
 ; Push/Pull operations hooks protocol, available options are:
 ; `http` - use http-rpc backend (default)
 ; `celery` - use celery based hooks
-vcs.hooks.protocol = http
+#DEPRECATED:vcs.hooks.protocol = http
+vcs.hooks.protocol.v2 = celery
 
 ; Host on which this instance is listening for hooks. vcsserver will call this host to pull/push hooks so it should be
 ; accessible via network.
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/lib/backends/base.py b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/lib/backends/base.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/lib/backends/base.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/lib/backends/base.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class SshVcsServer(object):
         return exit_code, action == "push"
 
     def run(self, tunnel_extras=None):
-        self.hooks_protocol = self.settings['vcs.hooks.protocol']
+        self.hooks_protocol = self.settings['vcs.hooks.protocol.v2']
         tunnel_extras = tunnel_extras or {}
         extras = {}
         extras.update(tunnel_extras)
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_git.py b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_git.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_git.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_git.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class GitServerCreator(object):
     config_data = {
         'app:main': {
             'ssh.executable.git': git_path,
-            'vcs.hooks.protocol': 'http',
+            'vcs.hooks.protocol.v2': 'celery',
         }
     }
     repo_name = 'test_git'
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_hg.py b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_hg.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_hg.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_hg.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class MercurialServerCreator(object):
     config_data = {
         'app:main': {
             'ssh.executable.hg': hg_path,
-            'vcs.hooks.protocol': 'http',
+            'vcs.hooks.protocol.v2': 'celery',
         }
     }
     repo_name = 'test_hg'
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_svn.py b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_svn.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_svn.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/ssh_support/tests/test_server_svn.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class SubversionServerCreator(object):
     config_data = {
         'app:main': {
             'ssh.executable.svn': svn_path,
-            'vcs.hooks.protocol': 'http',
+            'vcs.hooks.protocol.v2': 'celery',
         }
     }
     repo_name = 'test-svn'
diff --git a/rhodecode/config/config_maker.py b/rhodecode/config/config_maker.py
--- a/rhodecode/config/config_maker.py
+++ b/rhodecode/config/config_maker.py
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ def sanitize_settings_and_apply_defaults
     settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.svn.redis_conn', 'redis://redis:6379/0')
     settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.svn.proxy.enabled', True, parser='bool')
     settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.svn.proxy.host', 'http://svn:8090', parser='string')
-    settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.hooks.protocol', 'http')
+    settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.hooks.protocol.v2', 'celery')
     settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.hooks.host', '*')
     settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.scm_app_implementation', 'http')
     settings_maker.make_setting('vcs.server', '')
diff --git a/rhodecode/config/utils.py b/rhodecode/config/utils.py
--- a/rhodecode/config/utils.py
+++ b/rhodecode/config/utils.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def configure_vcs(config):
         'svn': 'rhodecode.lib.vcs.backends.svn.SubversionRepository',
     }
 
-    conf.settings.HOOKS_PROTOCOL = config['vcs.hooks.protocol']
+    conf.settings.HOOKS_PROTOCOL = config['vcs.hooks.protocol.v2']
     conf.settings.HOOKS_HOST = config['vcs.hooks.host']
     conf.settings.DEFAULT_ENCODINGS = config['default_encoding']
     conf.settings.ALIASES[:] = config['vcs.backends']
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/config/test_sanitize_settings.py b/rhodecode/tests/config/test_sanitize_settings.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/config/test_sanitize_settings.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/config/test_sanitize_settings.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class TestSanitizeVcsSettings(object):
 
     _string_funcs = [
         ('vcs.svn.compatible_version', ''),
-        ('vcs.hooks.protocol', 'http'),
+        ('vcs.hooks.protocol.v2', 'celery'),
         ('vcs.hooks.host', '*'),
         ('vcs.scm_app_implementation', 'http'),
         ('vcs.server', ''),
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/fixture_mods/fixture_pyramid.py b/rhodecode/tests/fixture_mods/fixture_pyramid.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/fixture_mods/fixture_pyramid.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/fixture_mods/fixture_pyramid.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def ini_config(request, tmpdir_factory, 
             'vcs.server.protocol': 'http',
             'vcs.scm_app_implementation': 'http',
             'vcs.svn.proxy.enabled': 'true',
-            'vcs.hooks.protocol': 'http',
+            'vcs.hooks.protocol.v2': 'celery',
             'vcs.hooks.host': '*',
             'repo_store.path': TESTS_TMP_PATH,
             'app.service_api.token': 'service_secret_token',
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py b/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/lib/middleware/test_simplevcs.py
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ class TestGenerateVcsResponse(object):
     def call_controller_with_response_body(self, response_body):
         settings = {
             'base_path': 'fake_base_path',
-            'vcs.hooks.protocol': 'http',
+            'vcs.hooks.protocol.v2': 'celery',
             'vcs.hooks.direct_calls': False,
         }
         registry = AttributeDict()
diff --git a/rhodecode/tests/models/test_pullrequest.py b/rhodecode/tests/models/test_pullrequest.py
--- a/rhodecode/tests/models/test_pullrequest.py
+++ b/rhodecode/tests/models/test_pullrequest.py
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ class TestPullRequestModel(object):
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures('config_stub')
 class TestIntegrationMerge(object):
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('extra_config', (
-        {'vcs.hooks.protocol': 'http', 'vcs.hooks.direct_calls': False},
+        {'vcs.hooks.protocol.v2': 'celery', 'vcs.hooks.direct_calls': False},
     ))
     def test_merge_triggers_push_hooks(
             self, pr_util, user_admin, capture_rcextensions, merge_extras,