diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/client/ServiceClient.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/client/ServiceClient.java
index b7fec77f177..1276022f25f 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/client/ServiceClient.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/client/ServiceClient.java
@@ -1203,6 +1203,9 @@ public class ServiceClient extends AppAdminClient implements SliderExitCodes,
       jvmOpts += DEFAULT_AM_JVM_XMX;
     }
 
+    // validate possible command injection.
+    ServiceApiUtil.validateJvmOpts(jvmOpts);
+
     CLI.setJVMOpts(jvmOpts);
     if (hasSliderAMLog4j) {
       CLI.sysprop(SYSPROP_LOG4J_CONFIGURATION, YARN_SERVICE_LOG4J_FILENAME);
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java
index 57c6449a982..295f14af098 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java
@@ -127,4 +127,5 @@ public interface RestApiErrorMessages {
       " not contain a hostname.";
   String ERROR_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL_MISSING = "Kerberos principal or keytab is" +
       " missing.";
+  String ERROR_JVM_OPTS = "Invalid character in yarn.service.am.java.opts.";
 }
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java
index 81f84b45496..3780c99c24f 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.regex.Matcher;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import static org.apache.hadoop.yarn.service.exceptions.RestApiErrorMessages.ERROR_COMP_DOES_NOT_NEED_UPGRADE;
 import static org.apache.hadoop.yarn.service.exceptions.RestApiErrorMessages.ERROR_COMP_INSTANCE_DOES_NOT_NEED_UPGRADE;
@@ -246,6 +248,16 @@ public class ServiceApiUtil {
     }
   }
 
+  public static void validateJvmOpts(String jvmOpts)
+      throws IllegalArgumentException {
+    Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("[!~#?@*&%${}()<>\\[\\]|\"\\/,`;]");
+    Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(jvmOpts);
+    if (matcher.find()) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+          RestApiErrorMessages.ERROR_JVM_OPTS);
+    }
+  }
+
   public static void validateKerberosPrincipal(
       KerberosPrincipal kerberosPrincipal) throws IOException {
     if (!StringUtils.isEmpty(kerberosPrincipal.getPrincipalName())) {
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/TestServiceApiUtil.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/TestServiceApiUtil.java
index 3c9b52448db..a93f3d92796 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/TestServiceApiUtil.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/TestServiceApiUtil.java
@@ -766,6 +766,12 @@ public class TestServiceApiUtil extends ServiceTestUtils {
     Assert.assertTrue(thread.isAlive());
   }
 
+  @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+  public void testJvmOpts() {
+    String jvmOpts = "`ping -c 3 example.com`";
+    ServiceApiUtil.validateJvmOpts(jvmOpts);
+  }
+
   public static Service createExampleApplication() {
 
     Service exampleApp = new Service();