diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/SolrZkServer.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/SolrZkServer.java
index 625c005f11e..2da89d965d6 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/SolrZkServer.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/SolrZkServer.java
@@ -45,17 +45,21 @@ public class SolrZkServer {
   
   String zkRun;
   String zkHost;
-  String solrHome;
+
   String solrPort;
   Properties props;
   SolrZkServerProps zkProps;
 
   private Thread zkThread;  // the thread running a zookeeper server, only if zkRun is set
 
-  public SolrZkServer(String zkRun, String zkHost, String solrHome, String solrPort) {
+  private String dataHome;
+  private String confHome;
+
+  public SolrZkServer(String zkRun, String zkHost, String dataHome, String confHome, String solrPort) {
     this.zkRun = zkRun;
     this.zkHost = zkHost;
-    this.solrHome = solrHome;
+    this.dataHome = dataHome;
+    this.confHome = confHome;
     this.solrPort = solrPort;
   }
 
@@ -74,13 +78,13 @@ public class SolrZkServer {
       zkProps = new SolrZkServerProps();
       // set default data dir
       // TODO: use something based on IP+port???  support ensemble all from same solr home?
-      zkProps.setDataDir(solrHome + '/' + "zoo_data");
+      zkProps.setDataDir(dataHome);
       zkProps.zkRun = zkRun;
       zkProps.solrPort = solrPort;
     }
     
     try {
-      props = SolrZkServerProps.getProperties(solrHome + '/' + "zoo.cfg");
+      props = SolrZkServerProps.getProperties(confHome + '/' + "zoo.cfg");
       SolrZkServerProps.injectServers(props, zkRun, zkHost);
       zkProps.parseProperties(props);
       if (zkProps.getClientPortAddress() == null) {
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
index 17119878193..41ae1a66149 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ public final class ZkController {
     }
     SolrZkServer zkServer = null;
     if (solrHome != null) {
-      zkServer = new SolrZkServer("true", null, solrHome, solrPort);
+      zkServer = new SolrZkServer("true", null, solrHome + "/zoo_data", solrHome, solrPort);
       zkServer.parseConfig();
       zkServer.start();
     }
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java
index 43af4afca5b..86911ba9f2c 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java
@@ -173,8 +173,9 @@ public class CoreContainer
     System.setProperty("zookeeper.jmx.log4j.disable", "true");
 
     if (zkRun != null) {
-      String zkDataDir = System.getProperty("zkServerDataDir", solrHome);
-      zkServer = new SolrZkServer(zkRun, zookeeperHost, zkDataDir, hostPort);
+      String zkDataHome = System.getProperty("zkServerDataDir", solrHome + "zoo_data");
+      String zkConfHome = System.getProperty("zkServerConfDir", solrHome);
+      zkServer = new SolrZkServer(zkRun, zookeeperHost, zkDataHome, zkConfHome, hostPort);
       zkServer.parseConfig();
       zkServer.start();