diff --git a/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/Model/Observer.php b/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/Model/Observer.php
index 840a6a1858fae..a536ec998b827 100644
--- a/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/Model/Observer.php
+++ b/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/Model/Observer.php
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ class Observer
 
     /**
      * Cronjob expression configuration
+     *
+     * @deprecated Use \Magento\Cron\Model\Config\Backend\Sitemap::CRON_STRING_PATH instead.
      */
     const XML_PATH_CRON_EXPR = 'crontab/default/jobs/generate_sitemaps/schedule/cron_expr';
 
diff --git a/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/etc/config.xml b/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/etc/config.xml
index 73468baadcb90..6f14ff728ac4f 100644
--- a/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/etc/config.xml
+++ b/app/code/Magento/Sitemap/etc/config.xml
@@ -42,5 +42,16 @@
                 </valid_paths>
             </file>
         </sitemap>
+        <crontab>
+            <default>
+                <jobs>
+                    <sitemap_generate>
+                        <schedule>
+                            <cron_expr>0 0 * * *</cron_expr>
+                        </schedule>
+                    </sitemap_generate>
+                </jobs>
+            </default>
+        </crontab>
     </default>
 </config>