diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/etc-default-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/etc-default-template
index 2cd74fe08..31ddeabe9 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/etc-default-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/etc-default-template
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #Some start script options could be overridden here
-#RUN_OPTS=""
+RUN_OPTS="${{run_opts}}"
 #DAEMON_USER=""
 #JAVA_CMD=""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala
index 6ebf4e822..9bb2284f5 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ package archetypes
 
 import Keys._
 import sbt._
-import sbt.Keys.{ target, mainClass, normalizedName, sourceDirectory }
+import sbt.Keys.{ target, mainClass, normalizedName, sourceDirectory, javaOptions, run}
 import SbtNativePackager._
 import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.linux.{ LinuxFileMetaData, LinuxPackageMapping, LinuxSymlink, LinuxPlugin }
 import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.debian.DebianPlugin
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ object JavaServerAppPackaging {
         if (overrideScript.exists) overrideScript.toURI.toURL
         else etcDefaultTemplateSource
       },
-      debianMakeEtcDefault <<= (normalizedName, target in Universal, serverLoading in Debian, linuxEtcDefaultTemplate in Debian)
+      debianMakeEtcDefault <<= (normalizedName, target in Universal, serverLoading in Debian, linuxEtcDefaultTemplate in Debian, javaOptions in run)
         map makeEtcDefaultScript,
       linuxPackageMappings in Debian <++= (debianMakeEtcDefault, normalizedName) map { (conf, name) =>
         conf.map(c => LinuxPackageMapping(Seq(c -> ("/etc/default/" + name))).withConfig()).toSeq
@@ -109,11 +109,11 @@ object JavaServerAppPackaging {
     }
   }
 
-  protected def makeEtcDefaultScript(name: String, tmpDir: File, loader: ServerLoader, source: java.net.URL): Option[File] = {
+  protected def makeEtcDefaultScript(name: String, tmpDir: File, loader: ServerLoader, source: java.net.URL, javaOpts: Seq[String]): Option[File] = {
     loader match {
       case Upstart => None
       case SystemV => {
-        val scriptBits = TemplateWriter.generateScript(source, Seq.empty)
+        val scriptBits = TemplateWriter.generateScript(source, Seq("run_opts" -> javaOpts.mkString(" ")))
         val script = tmpDir / "tmp" / "etc" / "default" / name
         IO.write(script, scriptBits)
         Some(script)
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt
index aae500ea3..7e3657bab 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ packageSummary := "Test debian package"
 packageDescription := """A fun package description of our software,
   with multiple lines."""
 
+javaOptions in run ++= Seq("-d64")
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/test b/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/test
index b7ae637c9..2e8dffe41 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/test
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/test
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ $ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0.deb
 
 $ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc
 $ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc/init.d/debian-test
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc/default/debian-test