diff --git a/distribution/build.gradle b/distribution/build.gradle
index f3fe27168f70e..c7dad69180865 100644
--- a/distribution/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/build.gradle
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ subprojects {
       'heap.dump.path': [
         'deb': "-XX:HeapDumpPath=/var/lib/elasticsearch",
         'rpm': "-XX:HeapDumpPath=/var/lib/elasticsearch",
-        'def': "#-XX:HeapDumpPath=/heap/dump/path"
+        'def': "-XX:HeapDumpPath=data"
       ],
 
       'error.file': [
diff --git a/distribution/src/config/jvm.options b/distribution/src/config/jvm.options
index e862343de8d6b..c5c0f44caeb7a 100644
--- a/distribution/src/config/jvm.options
+++ b/distribution/src/config/jvm.options
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@
 # heap dumps are created in the working directory of the JVM
 -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError
 
-# specify an alternative path for heap dumps
-# ensure the directory exists and has sufficient space
+# specify an alternative path for heap dumps; ensure the directory exists and
+# has sufficient space
 ${heap.dump.path}
 
 # specify an alternative path for JVM fatal error logs
diff --git a/docs/reference/setup/important-settings/heap-dump-path.asciidoc b/docs/reference/setup/important-settings/heap-dump-path.asciidoc
index def7d5962fa38..b0d301b21d0b8 100644
--- a/docs/reference/setup/important-settings/heap-dump-path.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/reference/setup/important-settings/heap-dump-path.asciidoc
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 [[heap-dump-path]]
 === JVM heap dump path
 
-The <<rpm,RPM>> and <<deb,Debian>> package distributions default to configuring
-the JVM to dump the heap on out of memory exceptions to
-`/var/lib/elasticsearch`. If this path is not suitable for storing heap dumps,
-you should modify the entry `-XX:HeapDumpPath=/var/lib/elasticsearch` in
-<<jvm-options,`jvm.options`>> to an alternate path.  If you specify a filename
-instead of a directory, the JVM will repeatedly use the same file; this is one
-mechanism for preventing heap dumps from accumulating in the heap dump path.
-Alternatively, you can configure a scheduled task via your OS to remove heap
-dumps that are older than a configured age.
-
-Note that the archive distributions do not configure the heap dump path by
-default. Instead, the JVM will default to dumping to the working directory for
-the Elasticsearch process. If you wish to configure a heap dump path, you should
-modify the entry `#-XX:HeapDumpPath=/heap/dump/path` in
-<<jvm-options,`jvm.options`>> to remove the comment marker `#` and to specify an
-actual path.
+By default, Elasticsearch configures the JVM to dump the heap on out of
+memory exceptions to the default data directory (this is
+`/var/lib/elasticsearch` for the <<rpm,RPM>> and <<deb,Debian>> package
+distributions, and the `data` directory under the root of the
+Elasticsearch installation for the <<zip-targz,tar and zip>> archive
+distributions). If this path is not suitable for receiving heap dumps,
+you should modify the entry `-XX:HeapDumpPath=...` in
+<<jvm-options,`jvm.options`>>. If you specify a fixed filename instead
+of a directory, the JVM will repeatedly use the same file; this is one
+mechanism for preventing heap dumps from accumulating in the heap dump
+path. Alternatively, you can configure a scheduled task via your OS to
+remove heap dumps that are older than a configured age.