diff --git a/bin/elasticsearch b/bin/elasticsearch
index e3eb514da3c0d..3dbeb057a049a 100755
--- a/bin/elasticsearch
+++ b/bin/elasticsearch
@@ -83,12 +83,13 @@ ES_HOME=`cd "$ES_HOME"; pwd`
 
 
 # If an include wasn't specified in the environment, then search for one...
-if [ "x$ES_INCLUDE" = "x" ]; then
+if [ -z "$ES_INCLUDE" ]; then
     # Locations (in order) to use when searching for an include file.
     for include in /usr/share/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.in.sh \
                    /usr/local/share/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.in.sh \
                    /opt/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.in.sh \
                    ~/.elasticsearch.in.sh \
+                   $ES_HOME/bin/elasticsearch.in.sh \
                    "`dirname "$0"`"/elasticsearch.in.sh; do
         if [ -r "$include" ]; then
             . "$include"