diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/systemloader/systemv/start-rpm-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/systemloader/systemv/start-rpm-template
index ffd1f56a5..a65b6d8a5 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/systemloader/systemv/start-rpm-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/systemloader/systemv/start-rpm-template
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ exec="$INSTALL_DIR/bin/${{exec}}"
 prog="${{app_name}}"
 lockfile="/var/lock/subsys/${{app_name}}"
 
-RUN_CMD="$exec >> /var/log/${{app_name}}/${{rpm_daemon_log_file}} 2>&1 &"
+RUN_CMD="$exec >> ${{logdir}}/${{app_name}}/${{rpm_daemon_log_file}} 2>&1 &"
 
 # $JAVA_OPTS used in $exec wrapper
 export JAVA_OPTS
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala
index b90968742..434aff158 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
       description = (packageSummary in Linux).value,
       execScript = (executableScriptName in Linux).value,
       chdir = s"${defaultLinuxInstallLocation.value}/${(packageName in Linux).value}",
+      logdir = defaultLinuxLogsLocation.value,
       appName = (packageName in Linux).value,
       version = sbt.Keys.version.value,
       daemonUser = (daemonUser in Linux).value,
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     description: String,
     execScript: String,
     chdir: String,
+    logdir: String,
     appName: String,
     version: String,
     daemonUser: String,
@@ -172,6 +174,7 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
       "descr" -> description,
       "exec" -> execScript,
       "chdir" -> chdir,
+      "logdir" -> logdir,
       "retries" -> retries.toString,
       "retryTimeout" -> retryTimeout.toString,
       "app_name" -> appName,
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/build.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6fda4b81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/build.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+enablePlugins(JavaServerAppPackaging)
+
+name := "rpm-test"
+
+version := "0.1.0"
+
+maintainer := "Josh Suereth <joshua.suereth@typesafe.com>"
+
+packageSummary := "Test rpm package"
+
+executableScriptName := "rpm-exec"
+
+packageDescription := """A fun package description of our software,
+  with multiple lines."""
+
+rpmRelease := "1"
+
+rpmVendor := "typesafe"
+
+rpmUrl := Some("http://github.com/sbt/sbt-native-packager")
+
+rpmLicense := Some("BSD")
+
+defaultLinuxInstallLocation := "/opt/test"
+
+defaultLinuxLogsLocation := "/opt/test/log"
+
+TaskKey[Unit]("unzip") <<= (baseDirectory, packageBin in Rpm, streams) map { (baseDir, rpmFile, streams) =>
+  val rpmPath = Seq(rpmFile.getAbsolutePath)
+  Process("rpm2cpio" , rpmPath) #| Process("cpio -i --make-directories") ! streams.log
+  ()
+}
+
+TaskKey[Unit]("check-init-file") <<= (baseDirectory, streams) map { (target, out) =>
+  val initd = IO.read(target / "etc" / "init.d" / "rpm-test")
+  assert(initd contains "/opt/test/rpm-test", "defaultLinuxInstallLocation not overriden in init.d\n" + initd)
+  assert(initd contains "/opt/test/log/rpm-test/rpm-test.log", "defaultLinuxLogsLocation not overriden in init.d\n" + initd)
+  out.log.success("Successfully tested rpm-test file")
+  ()
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/project/plugins.sbt b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/project/plugins.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b53de154c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/project/plugins.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+addSbtPlugin("com.typesafe.sbt" % "sbt-native-packager" % sys.props("project.version"))
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/src/main/scala/test/Main.scala b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/src/main/scala/test/Main.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..638bef378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/src/main/scala/test/Main.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package test
+
+object Main {
+  def main (args: Array[String]) {
+    //server app imitation
+    while (true){
+      Thread.sleep(1000L)
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/test b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5662e0959
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/rpm/path-override-rpm/test
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Run the rpm packaging.
+> rpm:package-bin
+$ exists target/rpm/RPMS/noarch/rpm-test-0.1.0-1.noarch.rpm
+
+> unzip
+$ exists opt/test/rpm-test
+
+$ exists etc/init.d/rpm-test
+> check-init-file
+