diff --git a/cmd/erasure-healing_test.go b/cmd/erasure-healing_test.go
index 6076efae6..393fc1310 100644
--- a/cmd/erasure-healing_test.go
+++ b/cmd/erasure-healing_test.go
@@ -567,13 +567,13 @@ func TestHealingDanglingObject(t *testing.T) {
 	// Set globalStoragClass.STANDARD to EC:4 for this test
 	saveSC := globalStorageClass
 	defer func() {
-		globalStorageClass = saveSC
+		globalStorageClass.Update(saveSC)
 	}()
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		Standard: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 4,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 
 	nDisks := 16
 	fsDirs, err := getRandomDisks(nDisks)
diff --git a/cmd/erasure-object_test.go b/cmd/erasure-object_test.go
index cf4c721be..854786f17 100644
--- a/cmd/erasure-object_test.go
+++ b/cmd/erasure-object_test.go
@@ -895,14 +895,14 @@ func testObjectQuorumFromMeta(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, dirs []strin
 
 	// Object for test case 1 - No StorageClass defined, no MetaData in PutObject
 	object1 := "object1"
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		RRS: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 2,
 		},
 		Standard: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 4,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 	_, err = obj.PutObject(ctx, bucket, object1, mustGetPutObjReader(t, bytes.NewReader(data), int64(len(data)), "", ""), opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to putObject %v", err)
@@ -939,11 +939,11 @@ func testObjectQuorumFromMeta(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, dirs []strin
 	object4 := "object4"
 	metadata4 := make(map[string]string)
 	metadata4["x-amz-storage-class"] = storageclass.STANDARD
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		Standard: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 6,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 
 	_, err = obj.PutObject(ctx, bucket, object4, mustGetPutObjReader(t, bytes.NewReader(data), int64(len(data)), "", ""), ObjectOptions{UserDefined: metadata4})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -962,11 +962,11 @@ func testObjectQuorumFromMeta(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, dirs []strin
 	object5 := "object5"
 	metadata5 := make(map[string]string)
 	metadata5["x-amz-storage-class"] = storageclass.RRS
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		RRS: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 2,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 
 	_, err = obj.PutObject(ctx, bucket, object5, mustGetPutObjReader(t, bytes.NewReader(data), int64(len(data)), "", ""), ObjectOptions{UserDefined: metadata5})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -980,14 +980,14 @@ func testObjectQuorumFromMeta(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, dirs []strin
 	object6 := "object6"
 	metadata6 := make(map[string]string)
 	metadata6["x-amz-storage-class"] = storageclass.STANDARD
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		Standard: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 4,
 		},
 		RRS: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 2,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 
 	_, err = obj.PutObject(ctx, bucket, object6, mustGetPutObjReader(t, bytes.NewReader(data), int64(len(data)), "", ""), ObjectOptions{UserDefined: metadata6})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1006,11 +1006,11 @@ func testObjectQuorumFromMeta(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, dirs []strin
 	object7 := "object7"
 	metadata7 := make(map[string]string)
 	metadata7["x-amz-storage-class"] = storageclass.STANDARD
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		Standard: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 5,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 
 	_, err = obj.PutObject(ctx, bucket, object7, mustGetPutObjReader(t, bytes.NewReader(data), int64(len(data)), "", ""), ObjectOptions{UserDefined: metadata7})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@ func testObjectQuorumFromMeta(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, dirs []strin
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		tt := tt
 		t.(*testing.T).Run("", func(t *testing.T) {
-			globalStorageClass = tt.storageClassCfg
+			globalStorageClass.Update(tt.storageClassCfg)
 			actualReadQuorum, actualWriteQuorum, err := objectQuorumFromMeta(ctx, tt.parts, tt.errs, storageclass.DefaultParityBlocks(len(erasureDisks)))
 			if tt.expectedError != nil && err == nil {
 				t.Errorf("Expected %s, got %s", tt.expectedError, err)
diff --git a/cmd/erasure-server-pool.go b/cmd/erasure-server-pool.go
index d8f057882..23b611658 100644
--- a/cmd/erasure-server-pool.go
+++ b/cmd/erasure-server-pool.go
@@ -2115,6 +2115,7 @@ type HealthResult struct {
 	HealingDrives int
 	PoolID, SetID int
 	WriteQuorum   int
+	UsingDefaults bool
 }
 
 // ReadHealth returns if the cluster can serve read requests
@@ -2209,6 +2210,11 @@ func (z *erasureServerPools) Health(ctx context.Context, opts HealthOptions) Hea
 		}
 	}
 
+	var usingDefaults bool
+	if globalStorageClass.GetParityForSC(storageclass.STANDARD) < 0 {
+		usingDefaults = true
+	}
+
 	for poolIdx := range erasureSetUpCount {
 		for setIdx := range erasureSetUpCount[poolIdx] {
 			if erasureSetUpCount[poolIdx][setIdx] < poolWriteQuorums[poolIdx] {
@@ -2221,6 +2227,7 @@ func (z *erasureServerPools) Health(ctx context.Context, opts HealthOptions) Hea
 					PoolID:        poolIdx,
 					SetID:         setIdx,
 					WriteQuorum:   poolWriteQuorums[poolIdx],
+					UsingDefaults: usingDefaults, // indicates if config was not initialized and we are using defaults on this node.
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -2240,8 +2247,9 @@ func (z *erasureServerPools) Health(ctx context.Context, opts HealthOptions) Hea
 	// to look at the healing side of the code.
 	if !opts.Maintenance {
 		return HealthResult{
-			Healthy:     true,
-			WriteQuorum: maximumWriteQuorum,
+			Healthy:       true,
+			WriteQuorum:   maximumWriteQuorum,
+			UsingDefaults: usingDefaults, // indicates if config was not initialized and we are using defaults on this node.
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2249,6 +2257,7 @@ func (z *erasureServerPools) Health(ctx context.Context, opts HealthOptions) Hea
 		Healthy:       len(aggHealStateResult.HealDisks) == 0,
 		HealingDrives: len(aggHealStateResult.HealDisks),
 		WriteQuorum:   maximumWriteQuorum,
+		UsingDefaults: usingDefaults, // indicates if config was not initialized and we are using defaults on this node.
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/healthcheck-handler.go b/cmd/healthcheck-handler.go
index 716c331d7..9e3961de6 100644
--- a/cmd/healthcheck-handler.go
+++ b/cmd/healthcheck-handler.go
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ func ClusterCheckHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if result.WriteQuorum > 0 {
 		w.Header().Set(xhttp.MinIOWriteQuorum, strconv.Itoa(result.WriteQuorum))
 	}
+	w.Header().Set(xhttp.MinIOStorageClassDefaults, strconv.FormatBool(result.UsingDefaults))
+
 	if !result.Healthy {
 		// return how many drives are being healed if any
 		if result.HealingDrives > 0 {
diff --git a/cmd/metrics-v2.go b/cmd/metrics-v2.go
index f3f4537ca..6088a46e9 100644
--- a/cmd/metrics-v2.go
+++ b/cmd/metrics-v2.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2015-2021 MinIO, Inc.
+// Copyright (c) 2015-2023 MinIO, Inc.
 //
 // This file is part of MinIO Object Storage stack
 //
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ const (
 	capacityRawSubsystem      MetricSubsystem = "capacity_raw"
 	capacityUsableSubsystem   MetricSubsystem = "capacity_usable"
 	diskSubsystem             MetricSubsystem = "disk"
+	storageClassSubsystem     MetricSubsystem = "storage_class"
 	fileDescriptorSubsystem   MetricSubsystem = "file_descriptor"
 	goRoutines                MetricSubsystem = "go_routine"
 	ioSubsystem               MetricSubsystem = "io"
@@ -430,6 +431,26 @@ func getNodeDrivesTotalMD() MetricDescription {
 	}
 }
 
+func getNodeStandardParityMD() MetricDescription {
+	return MetricDescription{
+		Namespace: nodeMetricNamespace,
+		Subsystem: storageClassSubsystem,
+		Name:      "standard_parity",
+		Help:      "standard storage class parity",
+		Type:      gaugeMetric,
+	}
+}
+
+func getNodeRRSParityMD() MetricDescription {
+	return MetricDescription{
+		Namespace: nodeMetricNamespace,
+		Subsystem: storageClassSubsystem,
+		Name:      "rrs_parity",
+		Help:      "reduced redundancy storage class parity",
+		Type:      gaugeMetric,
+	}
+}
+
 func getNodeDrivesFreeInodes() MetricDescription {
 	return MetricDescription{
 		Namespace: nodeMetricNamespace,
@@ -2187,23 +2208,33 @@ func getLocalStorageMetrics() *MetricsGroup {
 				Value:          float64(disk.FreeInodes),
 				VariableLabels: map[string]string{"disk": disk.DrivePath},
 			})
-
-			metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
-				Description: getNodeDrivesOfflineTotalMD(),
-				Value:       float64(offlineDrives.Sum()),
-			})
-
-			metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
-				Description: getNodeDrivesOnlineTotalMD(),
-				Value:       float64(onlineDrives.Sum()),
-			})
-
-			metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
-				Description: getNodeDrivesTotalMD(),
-				Value:       float64(totalDrives.Sum()),
-			})
-
 		}
+
+		metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
+			Description: getNodeDrivesOfflineTotalMD(),
+			Value:       float64(offlineDrives.Sum()),
+		})
+
+		metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
+			Description: getNodeDrivesOnlineTotalMD(),
+			Value:       float64(onlineDrives.Sum()),
+		})
+
+		metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
+			Description: getNodeDrivesTotalMD(),
+			Value:       float64(totalDrives.Sum()),
+		})
+
+		metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
+			Description: getNodeStandardParityMD(),
+			Value:       float64(storageInfo.Backend.StandardSCParity),
+		})
+
+		metrics = append(metrics, Metric{
+			Description: getNodeRRSParityMD(),
+			Value:       float64(storageInfo.Backend.RRSCParity),
+		})
+
 		return
 	})
 	return mg
diff --git a/cmd/object-api-multipart_test.go b/cmd/object-api-multipart_test.go
index 80905f9ee..6bd218a5e 100644
--- a/cmd/object-api-multipart_test.go
+++ b/cmd/object-api-multipart_test.go
@@ -1197,14 +1197,14 @@ func testListObjectPartsDiskNotFound(obj ObjectLayer, instanceType string, disks
 	objectNames := []string{"minio-object-1.txt"}
 	uploadIDs := []string{}
 
-	globalStorageClass = storageclass.Config{
+	globalStorageClass.Update(storageclass.Config{
 		RRS: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 2,
 		},
 		Standard: storageclass.StorageClass{
 			Parity: 4,
 		},
-	}
+	})
 
 	// bucketnames[0].
 	// objectNames[0].
diff --git a/cmd/server-main.go b/cmd/server-main.go
index 4ef748b94..260a1a674 100644
--- a/cmd/server-main.go
+++ b/cmd/server-main.go
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ func serverMain(ctx *cli.Context) {
 		printStartupMessage(getAPIEndpoints(), err)
 
 		// Print a warning at the end of the startup banner so it is more noticeable
-		if globalStorageClass.GetParityForSC("") == 0 {
+		if newObject.BackendInfo().StandardSCParity == 0 {
 			logger.Error("Warning: The standard parity is set to 0. This can lead to data loss.")
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class.go b/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class.go
index bd43c5bae..d8027d396 100644
--- a/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class.go
+++ b/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class.go
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ var ConfigLock sync.RWMutex
 
 // Config storage class configuration
 type Config struct {
-	Standard StorageClass `json:"standard"`
-	RRS      StorageClass `json:"rrs"`
+	Standard    StorageClass `json:"standard"`
+	RRS         StorageClass `json:"rrs"`
+	initialized bool
 }
 
 // UnmarshalJSON - Validate SS and RRS parity when unmarshalling JSON.
@@ -217,11 +218,13 @@ func validateParity(ssParity, rrsParity, setDriveCount int) (err error) {
 // returned.
 //
 // -- if input storage class is empty then standard is assumed
-// -- if input is RRS but RRS is not configured default '2' parity
 //
-//	for RRS is assumed
+// -- if input is RRS but RRS is not configured/initialized '-1' parity
 //
-// -- if input is STANDARD but STANDARD is not configured '0' parity
+//	for RRS is assumed, the caller is expected to choose the right parity
+//	at that point.
+//
+// -- if input is STANDARD but STANDARD is not configured/initialized '-1' parity
 //
 //	is returned, the caller is expected to choose the right parity
 //	at that point.
@@ -230,8 +233,14 @@ func (sCfg Config) GetParityForSC(sc string) (parity int) {
 	defer ConfigLock.RUnlock()
 	switch strings.TrimSpace(sc) {
 	case RRS:
+		if !sCfg.initialized {
+			return -1
+		}
 		return sCfg.RRS.Parity
 	default:
+		if !sCfg.initialized {
+			return -1
+		}
 		return sCfg.Standard.Parity
 	}
 }
@@ -242,9 +251,10 @@ func (sCfg *Config) Update(newCfg Config) {
 	defer ConfigLock.Unlock()
 	sCfg.RRS = newCfg.RRS
 	sCfg.Standard = newCfg.Standard
+	sCfg.initialized = true
 }
 
-// Enabled returns if etcd is enabled.
+// Enabled returns if storageClass is enabled is enabled.
 func Enabled(kvs config.KVS) bool {
 	ssc := kvs.Get(ClassStandard)
 	rrsc := kvs.Get(ClassRRS)
@@ -307,5 +317,6 @@ func LookupConfig(kvs config.KVS, setDriveCount int) (cfg Config, err error) {
 		return Config{}, err
 	}
 
+	cfg.initialized = true
 	return cfg, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class_test.go b/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class_test.go
index 86e5ded16..d7ba22213 100644
--- a/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/storageclass/storage-class_test.go
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ func TestParityCount(t *testing.T) {
 			RRS: StorageClass{
 				Parity: 2,
 			},
+			initialized: true,
 		}
 		// Set env var for test case 4
 		if i+1 == 4 {
diff --git a/internal/http/headers.go b/internal/http/headers.go
index 11844d553..cd1e3010c 100644
--- a/internal/http/headers.go
+++ b/internal/http/headers.go
@@ -177,6 +177,10 @@ const (
 	// Writes expected write quorum
 	MinIOWriteQuorum = "x-minio-write-quorum"
 
+	// Indicates if we are using default storage class and there was problem loading config
+	// if this header is set to "true"
+	MinIOStorageClassDefaults = "x-minio-storage-class-defaults"
+
 	// Reports number of drives currently healing
 	MinIOHealingDrives = "x-minio-healing-drives"