diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 8f68cf6574..0d878292d2 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ Trunk (unreleased changes)
 
     HADOOP-7005. Update test-patch.sh to remove callback to Hudson. (nigel)
 
+    HADOOP-6985. Suggest that HADOOP_OPTS be preserved in
+    hadoop-env.sh.template. (Ramkumar Vadali via cutting)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
     HADOOP-6884. Add LOG.isDebugEnabled() guard for each LOG.debug(..).
diff --git a/conf/hadoop-env.sh.template b/conf/hadoop-env.sh.template
index c1e4deda23..bba5387669 100644
--- a/conf/hadoop-env.sh.template
+++ b/conf/hadoop-env.sh.template
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 # export HADOOP_HEAPSIZE=2000
 
 # Extra Java runtime options.  Empty by default.
-# export HADOOP_OPTS=-server
+# if [ "$HADOOP_OPTS" == "" ]; then export HADOOP_OPTS=-server; else FOO+=" -server"; fi
 
 # Command specific options appended to HADOOP_OPTS when specified
 export HADOOP_NAMENODE_OPTS="-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote $HADOOP_NAMENODE_OPTS"