diff --git a/bin/nexus b/bin/nexus
index e7ed3fb..8db766b 100755
--- a/bin/nexus
+++ b/bin/nexus
@@ -440,7 +440,8 @@ add_class_path "$app_home/lib/boot/org.apache.karaf.diagnostic.boot-4.0.9.jar"
 add_class_path "$app_home/lib/boot/org.apache.karaf.jaas.boot-4.0.9.jar"
 
 vmoptions_val=""
-read_vmoptions "$prg_dir/$progname.vmoptions"
+VM_OPTS=${VM_OPTS_FILE:-"$prg_dir/$progname.vmoptions"}
+read_vmoptions "$VM_OPTS"
 INSTALL4J_ADD_VM_PARAMS="$INSTALL4J_ADD_VM_PARAMS $vmoptions_val"