diff --git a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/ArchiveTestCase.java b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/ArchiveTestCase.java
index 2056111554225..83edc8a0a9390 100644
--- a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/ArchiveTestCase.java
+++ b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/ArchiveTestCase.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public void test30AbortWhenJavaMissing() {
         });
 
         Platforms.onLinux(() -> {
-            final String javaPath = sh.run("which java").stdout.trim();
+            final String javaPath = sh.run("command -v java").stdout.trim();
 
             try {
                 sh.run("chmod -x '" + javaPath + "'");
diff --git a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java
index 28a767e95aef2..95705e94a432c 100644
--- a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java
+++ b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/test/PackageTestCase.java
@@ -30,16 +30,20 @@
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Cleanup.cleanEverything;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.FileUtils.assertPathsDontExist;
+import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.FileUtils.mv;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.SYSTEMD_SERVICE;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.assertInstalled;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.assertRemoved;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.install;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.remove;
+import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.runInstallCommand;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.startElasticsearch;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Packages.verifyPackageInstallation;
 import static org.elasticsearch.packaging.util.Platforms.getOsRelease;
@@ -75,6 +79,21 @@ public void onlyCompatibleDistributions() {
         assumeTrue("only compatible distributions", distribution().packaging.compatible);
     }
 
+    public void test05InstallFailsWhenJavaMissing() {
+        final Shell sh = new Shell();
+        final Result java = sh.run("command -v java");
+
+        final Path originalJavaPath = Paths.get(java.stdout.trim());
+        final Path relocatedJavaPath = originalJavaPath.getParent().resolve("java.relocated");
+        try {
+            mv(originalJavaPath, relocatedJavaPath);
+            final Result installResult = runInstallCommand(distribution());
+            assertThat(installResult.exitCode, is(1));
+        } finally {
+            mv(relocatedJavaPath, originalJavaPath);
+        }
+    }
+
     public void test10InstallPackage() {
         assertRemoved(distribution());
         installation = install(distribution());
diff --git a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/util/Packages.java b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/util/Packages.java
index 6e80d9e027df2..be7edc5e8f9e4 100644
--- a/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/util/Packages.java
+++ b/qa/vagrant/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/packaging/util/Packages.java
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ public static void assertRemoved(Distribution distribution) {
         Platforms.onDPKG(() -> {
             assertThat(status.exitCode, anyOf(is(0), is(1)));
             if (status.exitCode == 0) {
-                assertTrue(Pattern.compile("(?m)^Status:.+deinstall ok").matcher(status.stdout).find());
+                assertTrue("an uninstalled status should be indicated: " + status.stdout,
+                    Pattern.compile("(?m)^Status:.+deinstall ok").matcher(status.stdout).find() ||
+                    Pattern.compile("(?m)^Status:.+ok not-installed").matcher(status.stdout).find()
+                );
             }
         });
     }
@@ -90,13 +93,27 @@ public static Installation install(Distribution distribution) {
     }
 
     public static Installation install(Distribution distribution, String version) {
+        final Result result = runInstallCommand(distribution, version);
+        if (result.exitCode != 0) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("Installing distribution " + distribution + " version " + version + " failed: " + result);
+        }
+
+        return Installation.ofPackage(distribution.packaging);
+    }
+
+    public static Result runInstallCommand(Distribution distribution) {
+        return runInstallCommand(distribution, getCurrentVersion());
+    }
+
+    public static Result runInstallCommand(Distribution distribution, String version) {
         final Shell sh = new Shell();
         final Path distributionFile = getDistributionFile(distribution, version);
 
-        Platforms.onRPM(() -> sh.run("rpm -i " + distributionFile));
-        Platforms.onDPKG(() -> sh.run("dpkg -i " + distributionFile));
-
-        return Installation.ofPackage(distribution.packaging);
+        if (Platforms.isRPM()) {
+            return sh.runIgnoreExitCode("rpm -i " + distributionFile);
+        } else {
+            return sh.runIgnoreExitCode("dpkg -i " + distributionFile);
+        }
     }
 
     public static void remove(Distribution distribution) {