diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/env/elasticsearch b/distribution/packages/src/common/env/elasticsearch
index 76d9473b0fb5a..5e2b1eb23b23a 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/env/elasticsearch
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/env/elasticsearch
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #JAVA_HOME=
 
 # Elasticsearch configuration directory
+# Note: this setting will be shared with command-line tools
 ES_PATH_CONF=${path.conf}
 
 # Elasticsearch PID directory
diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst
index d76b9ec763524..98170e122f1f6 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
 # source the default env file
 if [ -f "${path.env}" ]; then
     . "${path.env}"
-else
-  ES_PATH_CONF="${path.conf}"
 fi
 
+export ES_PATH_CONF=${ES_PATH_CONF:-${path.conf}}
+
 IS_UPGRADE=false
 
 case "$1" in
diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm
index 0b77069603baf..9bbdcc78eda08 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postrm
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 # source the default env file
 if [ -f "${path.env}" ]; then
     . "${path.env}"
-else
-  ES_PATH_CONF="${path.conf}"
 fi
 
+export ES_PATH_CONF=${ES_PATH_CONF:-${path.conf}}
+
 REMOVE_DIRS=false
 REMOVE_JVM_OPTIONS_DIRECTORY=false
 REMOVE_USER_AND_GROUP=false
diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/posttrans b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/posttrans
index 7b072ee260209..d62c24ac34e85 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/posttrans
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/posttrans
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 # source the default env file
 if [ -f "${path.env}" ]; then
     . "${path.env}"
-else
-  ES_PATH_CONF="${path.conf}"
 fi
 
+export ES_PATH_CONF=${ES_PATH_CONF:-${path.conf}}
+
 if [ ! -f "${ES_PATH_CONF}"/elasticsearch.keystore ]; then
     /usr/share/elasticsearch/bin/elasticsearch-keystore create
     chown root:elasticsearch "${ES_PATH_CONF}"/elasticsearch.keystore
diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/preinst b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/preinst
index c3e15b632aaf7..82eb8458be005 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/preinst
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/preinst
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@ err_exit() {
 # source the default env file
 if [ -f "${path.env}" ]; then
     . "${path.env}"
-else
-  ES_PATH_CONF="${path.conf}"
 fi
 
+export ES_PATH_CONF=${ES_PATH_CONF:-${path.conf}}
+
 case "$1" in
 
     # Debian ####################################################
diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm
index ff25345963b2d..df88d8eae4b5c 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 # source the default env file
 if [ -f "${path.env}" ]; then
     . "${path.env}"
-else
-  ES_PATH_CONF="${path.conf}"
 fi
 
+export ES_PATH_CONF=${ES_PATH_CONF:-${path.conf}}
+
 STOP_REQUIRED=false
 REMOVE_SERVICE=false