diff --git a/openbis/dist/etc/service.properties b/openbis/dist/etc/service.properties
index f5d45d0cae4fb82412fd806c7d57f6dd12890754..ddc2f12486ad3750940b890f4b1820b53092cb55 100644
--- a/openbis/dist/etc/service.properties
+++ b/openbis/dist/etc/service.properties
@@ -42,4 +42,7 @@ crowd.application.name = lims
 crowd.application.password =
 
 # The database instance local unique identifier. Used when the new database is created.
-database-instance = CISD
\ No newline at end of file
+database-instance = CISD
+
+# Hibernate Search
+hibernate.search.index.base = /tmp/indexes
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml b/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml
index 89be234a3d451e86f98f945aee45f0a045eb640e..7d843764f6e11738298de213d35341145e225042 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml
+++ b/openbis/source/java/hibernateContext.xml
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
                 <prop key="hibernate.search.default.directory_provider">
                     org.hibernate.search.store.FSDirectoryProvider
                 </prop>
-                <prop key="hibernate.search.default.indexBase">./indexes</prop>
+                <prop key="hibernate.search.default.indexBase">${hibernate.search.index.base}</prop>
                 <!--   
                     <prop key="hibernate.show_sql">true</prop>
                     <prop key="hibernate.format_sql">true</prop>
diff --git a/openbis/source/java/service.properties b/openbis/source/java/service.properties
index 63a6fa77915fc33f823d80e55f0dfbff833af53d..d4f14034d2ab1597ad0889f006cb08ddc57fb323 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/service.properties
+++ b/openbis/source/java/service.properties
@@ -31,3 +31,6 @@ crowd.application.password =
 
 # The database instance local unique identifier. Used when the new database is created.
 database-instance = CISD
+
+# Hibernate Search
+hibernate.search.index.base = ./targets/indices
\ No newline at end of file