diff --git a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-cli.bat b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-cli.bat
index e85abdee448..b668a7c06c2 100644
--- a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-cli.bat
+++ b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-cli.bat
@@ -6,11 +6,6 @@ if defined ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES (
   )
 )
 
-for /f "tokens=1*" %%a in ("%*") do (
-  set main_class=%%a
-  set arguments=%%b
-)
-
 if defined ES_ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIRECTORIES (
   for %%a in ("%ES_ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIRECTORIES:;=","%") do (
     set ES_CLASSPATH=!ES_CLASSPATH!;!ES_HOME!/%%a/*
@@ -24,5 +19,5 @@ if defined ES_ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIRECTORIES (
   -Des.distribution.flavor="%ES_DISTRIBUTION_FLAVOR%" ^
   -Des.distribution.type="%ES_DISTRIBUTION_TYPE%" ^
   -cp "%ES_CLASSPATH%" ^
-  %main_class% ^
-  %arguments%
+  "%ES_MAIN_CLASS%" ^
+  %*
diff --git a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-keystore.bat b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-keystore.bat
index 380a3e501d5..b43182a273f 100644
--- a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-keystore.bat
+++ b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-keystore.bat
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.common.settings.KeyStoreCli
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-   org.elasticsearch.common.settings.KeyStoreCli ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-plugin.bat b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-plugin.bat
index 5d7b1d7a828..7e71de790f0 100644
--- a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-plugin.bat
+++ b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-plugin.bat
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.plugins.PluginCli
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIRECTORIES=lib/tools/plugin-cli
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.plugins.PluginCli ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-translog.bat b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-translog.bat
index 9c4cefcf2fe..6a2e3046205 100644
--- a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-translog.bat
+++ b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-translog.bat
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.index.translog.TranslogToolCli
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.index.translog.TranslogToolCli ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certgen.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certgen.bat
index 01f3c0f21cd..b5842b57b16 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certgen.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certgen.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ssl.CertificateGenerateTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ssl.CertificateGenerateTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certutil.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certutil.bat
index f8a5fd9880a..2e397190f23 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certutil.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-certutil.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ssl.CertificateTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ssl.CertificateTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-migrate.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-migrate.bat
index 67faf2ea66a..4b8e4f926d7 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-migrate.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-migrate.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.esnative.ESNativeRealmMigrateTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.esnative.ESNativeRealmMigrateTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-saml-metadata.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-saml-metadata.bat
index 6cdd539a81d..64a272dfbb5 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-saml-metadata.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-saml-metadata.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.saml.SamlMetadataCommand
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.saml.SamlMetadataCommand ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-setup-passwords.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-setup-passwords.bat
index e3ea134ae43..3c956ca47ba 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-setup-passwords.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-setup-passwords.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.esnative.tool.SetupPasswordTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.esnative.tool.SetupPasswordTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-syskeygen.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-syskeygen.bat
index 570eef619ec..11414872d07 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-syskeygen.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-syskeygen.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.crypto.tool.SystemKeyTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.crypto.tool.SystemKeyTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-users.bat b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-users.bat
index 2975fbe87b9..9b35895ed86 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-users.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/security/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-users.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.file.tool.UsersTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-security-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.security.authc.file.tool.UsersTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-croneval.bat b/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-croneval.bat
index 281b06cf77b..2b4a33c9f9e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-croneval.bat
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/bin/elasticsearch-croneval.bat
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ rem you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
 setlocal enableextensions
 
+set ES_MAIN_CLASS=org.elasticsearch.xpack.watcher.trigger.schedule.tool.CronEvalTool
 set ES_ADDITIONAL_SOURCES=x-pack-env;x-pack-watcher-env
 call "%~dp0elasticsearch-cli.bat" ^
-  org.elasticsearch.xpack.watcher.trigger.schedule.tool.CronEvalTool ^
   %%* ^
   || exit /b 1