diff --git a/bin/load-spark-env.cmd b/bin/load-spark-env.cmd
index f946197b02d55..cefa513b6fb77 100644
--- a/bin/load-spark-env.cmd
+++ b/bin/load-spark-env.cmd
@@ -19,15 +19,13 @@ rem
 
 rem This script loads spark-env.cmd if it exists, and ensures it is only loaded once.
 rem spark-env.cmd is loaded from SPARK_CONF_DIR if set, or within the current directory's
-rem conf/ subdirectory.
+rem conf\ subdirectory.
 
 if [%SPARK_ENV_LOADED%] == [] (
   set SPARK_ENV_LOADED=1
 
-  if not [%SPARK_CONF_DIR%] == [] (
-    set user_conf_dir=%SPARK_CONF_DIR%
-  ) else (
-    set user_conf_dir=..\conf
+  if [%SPARK_CONF_DIR%] == [] (
+    set SPARK_CONF_DIR=%~dp0..\conf
   )
 
   call :LoadSparkEnv
@@ -54,6 +52,6 @@ if [%SPARK_SCALA_VERSION%] == [] (
 exit /b 0
 
 :LoadSparkEnv
-if exist "%user_conf_dir%\spark-env.cmd" (
-  call "%user_conf_dir%\spark-env.cmd"
+if exist "%SPARK_CONF_DIR%\spark-env.cmd" (
+  call "%SPARK_CONF_DIR%\spark-env.cmd"
 )
diff --git a/bin/load-spark-env.sh b/bin/load-spark-env.sh
index d05d94e68c81b..0b5006dbd63ac 100644
--- a/bin/load-spark-env.sh
+++ b/bin/load-spark-env.sh
@@ -29,15 +29,12 @@ fi
 if [ -z "$SPARK_ENV_LOADED" ]; then
   export SPARK_ENV_LOADED=1
 
-  # Returns the parent of the directory this script lives in.
-  parent_dir="${SPARK_HOME}"
+  export SPARK_CONF_DIR="${SPARK_CONF_DIR:-"${SPARK_HOME}"/conf}"
 
-  user_conf_dir="${SPARK_CONF_DIR:-"$parent_dir"/conf}"
-
-  if [ -f "${user_conf_dir}/spark-env.sh" ]; then
+  if [ -f "${SPARK_CONF_DIR}/spark-env.sh" ]; then
     # Promote all variable declarations to environment (exported) variables
     set -a
-    . "${user_conf_dir}/spark-env.sh"
+    . "${SPARK_CONF_DIR}/spark-env.sh"
     set +a
   fi
 fi
diff --git a/conf/spark-env.sh.template b/conf/spark-env.sh.template
index f8c895f5303b9..bc92c78f0f8f3 100755
--- a/conf/spark-env.sh.template
+++ b/conf/spark-env.sh.template
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
 # - SPARK_LOCAL_DIRS, storage directories to use on this node for shuffle and RDD data
 # - MESOS_NATIVE_JAVA_LIBRARY, to point to your libmesos.so if you use Mesos
 
-# Options read in YARN client mode
+# Options read in YARN client/cluster mode
+# - SPARK_CONF_DIR, Alternate conf dir. (Default: ${SPARK_HOME}/conf)
 # - HADOOP_CONF_DIR, to point Spark towards Hadoop configuration files
 # - YARN_CONF_DIR, to point Spark towards YARN configuration files when you use YARN
 # - SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES, Number of cores for the executors (Default: 1).