diff --git a/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.bat b/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.bat
index 7a6bfda37ad..91a731e8260 100644
--- a/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.bat
+++ b/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.bat
@@ -88,5 +88,11 @@ set JAVA_OPTS=%JAVA_OPTS% -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8
 REM Use our provided JNA always versus the system one
 set JAVA_OPTS=%JAVA_OPTS% -Djna.nosys=true
 
-set ES_CLASSPATH=%ES_CLASSPATH%;%ES_HOME%/lib/${project.build.finalName}.jar;%ES_HOME%/lib/*;%ES_HOME%/lib/sigar/*
+set CORE_CLASSPATH=%ES_HOME%/lib/${project.build.finalName}.jar;%ES_HOME%/lib/*;%ES_HOME%/lib/sigar/*
+if "%ES_CLASSPATH%" == "" (
+set ES_CLASSPATH=%CORE_CLASSPATH%
+) else (
+set ES_CLASSPATH=%ES_CLASSPATH%;%CORE_CLASSPATH%
+)
+
 set ES_PARAMS=-Delasticsearch -Des-foreground=yes -Des.path.home="%ES_HOME%"
diff --git a/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.sh b/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.sh
index af68857e0eb..9e1c8d9d42e 100644
--- a/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.sh
+++ b/core/bin/elasticsearch.in.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-ES_CLASSPATH="$ES_CLASSPATH:$ES_HOME/lib/${project.build.finalName}.jar:$ES_HOME/lib/*:$ES_HOME/lib/sigar/*"
+CORE_CLASSPATH="$ES_HOME/lib/${project.build.finalName}.jar:$ES_HOME/lib/*:$ES_HOME/lib/sigar/*"
+
+if [ "x$ES_CLASSPATH" = "x" ]; then
+    ES_CLASSPATH="$CORE_CLASSPATH"
+else
+    ES_CLASSPATH="$ES_CLASSPATH:$CORE_CLASSPATH"
+fi
 
 if [ "x$ES_MIN_MEM" = "x" ]; then
     ES_MIN_MEM=${packaging.elasticsearch.heap.min}