diff --git a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env
index a89495fc5d144..4982f8dc3ac54 100644
--- a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env
+++ b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env
@@ -55,11 +55,17 @@ else
   JAVA_TYPE="bundled JDK"
 fi
 
-# do not let JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS slip in (as the JVM does by default)
+# do not let JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS OR _JAVA_OPTIONS slip in (as the JVM does by default)
 if [ ! -z "$JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS" ]; then
-  echo "warning: ignoring JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS=$JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS"
+  echo -n "warning: ignoring JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS=$JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS; "
+  echo "pass JVM parameters via ES_JAVA_OPTS"
   unset JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS
 fi
+if [ ! -z "$_JAVA_OPTIONS" ]; then
+  echo -n "warning: ignoring _JAVA_OPTIONS=$_JAVA_OPTIONS; "
+  echo "pass JVM parameters via ES_JAVA_OPTS"
+  unset _JAVA_OPTIONS
+fi
 
 # warn that we are not observing the value of JAVA_HOME
 if [ ! -z "$JAVA_HOME" ]; then
diff --git a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env.bat b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env.bat
index 93fc26802a53c..ff7db68d1f54a 100644
--- a/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env.bat
+++ b/distribution/src/bin/elasticsearch-env.bat
@@ -58,11 +58,17 @@ if defined ES_JAVA_HOME (
   set JAVA_TYPE=bundled JDK
 )
 
-rem do not let JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS slip in (as the JVM does by default)
+rem do not let JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS or _JAVA_OPTIONS slip in (as the JVM does by default)
 if defined JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS (
-  echo warning: ignoring JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS=%JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS%
+  (echo|set /p=ignoring JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS=%JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS%; )
+  echo pass JVM parameters via ES_JAVA_OPTS
   set JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS=
 )
+if defined _JAVA_OPTIONS (
+  (echo|set /p=ignoring _JAVA_OPTIONS=%_JAVA_OPTIONS%; )
+  echo pass JVM parameters via ES_JAVA_OPTS
+  set _JAVA_OPTIONS=
+)
 
 rem warn that we are not observing the value of $JAVA_HOME
 if defined JAVA_HOME (
diff --git a/docs/changelog/124843.yaml b/docs/changelog/124843.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..0cad424e5991b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog/124843.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pr: 124843
+summary: Ignore _JAVA_OPTIONS
+area: Infra/CLI
+type: enhancement
+issues: []