diff --git a/admin/core/src/main/java/org/apache/karaf/admin/internal/AdminServiceImpl.java b/admin/core/src/main/java/org/apache/karaf/admin/internal/AdminServiceImpl.java
index 1434b01..b5ac1af 100644
--- a/admin/core/src/main/java/org/apache/karaf/admin/internal/AdminServiceImpl.java
+++ b/admin/core/src/main/java/org/apache/karaf/admin/internal/AdminServiceImpl.java
@@ -375,7 +375,9 @@ public class AdminServiceImpl implements AdminService {
                 if (opts == null || opts.length() == 0) {
                     opts = "-server -Xmx512M -Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote";
                 }
-                String karafOpts = System.getProperty("karaf.opts", "");
+
+                // fallback and read karafOpts from KARAF_OPTS environment if no System property present
+                String karafOpts = System.getProperty("karaf.opts", System.getenv("KARAF_OPTS"));
 
                 File libDir = new File(System.getProperty("karaf.home"), "lib");
                 File[] jars = libDir.listFiles(new FilenameFilter() {