diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst
index 70b1d41d1e947..45ff73fbe58f1 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/postinst
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ if [ ! -f "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore ]; then
     /usr/share/elasticsearch/bin/elasticsearch-keystore create
     chown root:elasticsearch "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore
     chmod 660 "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore
-    md5sum "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore > "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore.md5sum
+    md5sum "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore > "$ES_PATH_CONF"/.elasticsearch.keystore.initial_md5sum
 fi
 
 ${scripts.footer}
diff --git a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm
index 6a4c729ecdd46..e2e9faa9cde21 100644
--- a/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm
+++ b/distribution/packages/src/common/scripts/prerm
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ if [ "$STOP_REQUIRED" = "true" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ -f "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore ]; then
-  if md5sum --status -c "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore.md5sum; then
-    rm "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore.md5sum
+  if md5sum --status -c "$ES_PATH_CONF"/.elasticsearch.keystore.initial_md5sum; then
+    rm "$ES_PATH_CONF"/elasticsearch.keystore "$ES_PATH_CONF"/.elasticsearch.keystore.initial_md5sum
   fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/tests/30_deb_package.bats b/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/tests/30_deb_package.bats
index fb776c593c795..0b06e74555394 100644
--- a/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/tests/30_deb_package.bats
+++ b/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/tests/30_deb_package.bats
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ setup() {
     assert_file_exist "/etc/elasticsearch"
     # TODO: use ucf to handle these better for Debian-based systems
     assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.keystore"
-    assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.keystore.md5sum"
+    assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/.elasticsearch.keystore.initial_md5sum"
     assert_file_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml"
     assert_file_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options"
     assert_file_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/log4j2.properties"
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ setup() {
     # all remaining files are deleted by the purge
     assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch"
     assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.keystore"
-    assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.keystore.md5sum"
+    assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/.elasticsearch.keystore.initial_md5sum"
     assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml"
     assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options"
     assert_file_not_exist "/etc/elasticsearch/log4j2.properties"
diff --git a/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/utils/packages.bash b/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/utils/packages.bash
index efb00aae68cac..01ad9258cdbed 100644
--- a/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/utils/packages.bash
+++ b/qa/vagrant/src/test/resources/packaging/utils/packages.bash
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ verify_package_installation() {
 
     sudo -u elasticsearch "$ESHOME/bin/elasticsearch-keystore" list | grep "keystore.seed"
 
-    assert_file "$ESCONFIG/elasticsearch.keystore.md5sum" f root elasticsearch 644
+    assert_file "$ESCONFIG/.elasticsearch.keystore.initial_md5sum" f root elasticsearch 644
     assert_file "$ESCONFIG/elasticsearch.yml" f root elasticsearch 660
     assert_file "$ESCONFIG/jvm.options" f root elasticsearch 660
     assert_file "$ESCONFIG/log4j2.properties" f root elasticsearch 660