diff --git a/src/core/server/path/index.ts b/src/core/server/path/index.ts
index d482a32b32ae4..2e05e3856bd4c 100644
--- a/src/core/server/path/index.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/path/index.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ const CONFIG_PATHS = [
   process.env.KIBANA_PATH_CONF && join(process.env.KIBANA_PATH_CONF, 'kibana.yml'),
   process.env.CONFIG_PATH, // deprecated
   fromRoot('config/kibana.yml'),
-  '/etc/kibana/kibana.yml',
 ].filter(isString);
 
 const DATA_PATHS = [
diff --git a/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/default/kibana b/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/default/kibana
index 7b411542986be..092dc6482fa1d 100644
--- a/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/default/kibana
+++ b/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/default/kibana
@@ -11,3 +11,5 @@ nice=""
 KILL_ON_STOP_TIMEOUT=0
 
 BABEL_CACHE_PATH="/var/lib/kibana/optimize/.babel_register_cache.json"
+
+KIBANA_PATH_CONF="/etc/kibana"
diff --git a/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/init.d/kibana b/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/init.d/kibana
index fc1b797fe8ed2..a17d15522b45e 100755
--- a/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/init.d/kibana
+++ b/src/dev/build/tasks/os_packages/service_templates/sysv/etc/init.d/kibana
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ pidfile="/var/run/$name.pid"
 [ -r /etc/default/$name ] && . /etc/default/$name
 [ -r /etc/sysconfig/$name ] && . /etc/sysconfig/$name
 
+export KIBANA_PATH_CONF
 export NODE_OPTIONS
 
 [ -z "$nice" ] && nice=0