diff --git a/conf/hbase-env.sh b/conf/hbase-env.sh
index 9df0b3a011d..758bb6b9d37 100644
--- a/conf/hbase-env.sh
+++ b/conf/hbase-env.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 # Below are what we set by default.  May only work with SUN JVM.
 # For more on why as well as other possible settings,
 # see http://wiki.apache.org/hadoop/PerformanceTuning
-export HBASE_OPTS="-XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC"
+export HBASE_OPTS="$HBASE_OPTS -XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC"
 
 # Uncomment below to enable java garbage collection logging in the .out file.
 # export HBASE_OPTS="$HBASE_OPTS -verbose:gc -XX:+PrintGCDetails -XX:+PrintGCDateStamps $HBASE_GC_OPTS"