diff --git a/system_test/migration_tool_testsuite/cluster_config.json b/system_test/migration_tool_testsuite/cluster_config.json
index 8353e56..cd7f079 100644
--- a/system_test/migration_tool_testsuite/cluster_config.json
+++ b/system_test/migration_tool_testsuite/cluster_config.json
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
             "role": "producer_performance",
             "cluster_name":"source",
             "kafka_home": "system_test/migration_tool_testsuite/0.7",
-            "java_home": "/export/apps/jdk/JDK-1_6_0_27",
+            "java_home": "default",
             "jmx_port": "9997"
         },
         {
diff --git a/system_test/utils/system_test_utils.py b/system_test/utils/system_test_utils.py
index 50340f0..e8529cd 100644
--- a/system_test/utils/system_test_utils.py
+++ b/system_test/utils/system_test_utils.py
@@ -360,19 +360,23 @@ def setup_remote_hosts(systemTestEnv):
     clusterEntityConfigDictList = systemTestEnv.clusterEntityConfigDictList
 
     localKafkaHome = os.path.abspath(systemTestEnv.SYSTEM_TEST_BASE_DIR + "/..")
-    localJavaBin   = ""
-    localJavaHome  = ""
 
-    subproc = sys_call_return_subproc("which java")
-    for line in subproc.stdout.readlines():
-        if line.startswith("which: no "):
-            logger.error("No Java binary found in local host", extra=d)
-            return False
-        else:
-            line = line.rstrip('\n')
-            localJavaBin = line
-            matchObj = re.match("(.*)\/bin\/java$", line)
-            localJavaHome = matchObj.group(1)
+    # when configuring "default" java_home, use JAVA_HOME environment variable, if exists
+    # otherwise, use the directory with the java binary
+    localJavaHome  = os.environ.get('JAVA_HOME')
+    if localJavaHome is not None:
+        localJavaBin   = localJavaHome + '/bin/java'
+    else:
+        subproc = sys_call_return_subproc("which java")
+        for line in subproc.stdout.readlines():
+            if line.startswith("which: no "):
+                logger.error("No Java binary found in local host", extra=d)
+                return False
+            else:
+                line = line.rstrip('\n')
+                localJavaBin = line
+                matchObj = re.match("(.*)\/bin\/java$", line)
+                localJavaHome = matchObj.group(1)
 
     listIndex = -1
     for clusterEntityConfigDict in clusterEntityConfigDictList: