diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
index 2270df3424..45e38d392f 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
@@ -321,6 +321,8 @@ Trunk (Unreleased)
 
     HADOOP-11002. shell escapes are incompatible with previous releases (aw)
 
+    HADOOP-10996. Stop violence in the *_HOME (aw)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
     HADOOP-7761. Improve the performance of raw comparisons. (todd)
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-config.sh b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-config.sh
index b2fc4d341d..0cf8bcfc78 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-config.sh
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-config.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ if [[ -z "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}" ]]; then
 fi
 
 # get our functions defined for usage later
-if [[ -f "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-functions.sh" ]]; then
+if [[ -n "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}" ]] && 
+   [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-functions.sh" ]]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-functions.sh"
+elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-functions.sh" ]]; then
   . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-functions.sh"
 else
   echo "ERROR: Unable to exec ${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-functions.sh." 1>&2
@@ -61,7 +64,10 @@ else
 fi
 
 # allow overrides of the above and pre-defines of the below
-if [[ -f "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-layout.sh" ]]; then
+if [[ -n "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}" ]] &&
+   [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-layout.sh" ]]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-layout.sh"
+elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-layout.sh" ]]; then
   . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-layout.sh"
 fi
 
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-functions.sh b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-functions.sh
index ab61b8483f..800e024485 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-functions.sh
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/bin/hadoop-functions.sh
@@ -68,17 +68,18 @@ function hadoop_find_confdir
 {
   # NOTE: This function is not user replaceable.
 
+  local conf_dir
   # Look for the basic hadoop configuration area.
   #
   #
   # An attempt at compatibility with some Hadoop 1.x
   # installs.
   if [[ -e "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/conf/hadoop-env.sh" ]]; then
-    DEFAULT_CONF_DIR="conf"
+    conf_dir="conf"
   else
-    DEFAULT_CONF_DIR="etc/hadoop"
+    conf_dir="etc/hadoop"
   fi
-  export HADOOP_CONF_DIR="${HADOOP_CONF_DIR:-${HADOOP_PREFIX}/${DEFAULT_CONF_DIR}}"
+  export HADOOP_CONF_DIR="${HADOOP_CONF_DIR:-${HADOOP_PREFIX}/${conf_dir}}"
 }
 
 function hadoop_exec_hadoopenv
@@ -573,10 +574,7 @@ function hadoop_finalize_hadoop_opts
 
 function hadoop_finalize_classpath
 {
-  
-  # we want the HADOOP_CONF_DIR at the end
-  # according to oom, it gives a 2% perf boost
-  hadoop_add_classpath "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}" after
+  hadoop_add_classpath "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}" before
   
   # user classpath gets added at the last minute. this allows
   # override of CONF dirs and more
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/bin/hdfs-config.sh b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/bin/hdfs-config.sh
index fb460d96d6..68240287d9 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/bin/hdfs-config.sh
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/bin/hdfs-config.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 function hadoop_subproject_init
 {
-  if [ -e "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}/hdfs-env.sh" ]; then
+  if [[ -e "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}/hdfs-env.sh" ]]; then
     . "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}/hdfs-env.sh"
   fi
   
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function hadoop_subproject_init
   HADOOP_ROOT_LOGGER=${HADOOP_HDFS_ROOT_LOGGER:-$HADOOP_ROOT_LOGGER}
   HADOOP_HDFS_ROOT_LOGGER="${HADOOP_ROOT_LOGGER}"
   
-  HADOOP_HDFS_HOME="${HADOOP_HDFS_HOME:-$HADOOP_HOME_DIR}"
+  HADOOP_HDFS_HOME="${HADOOP_HDFS_HOME:-$HADOOP_PREFIX}"
   
   HADOOP_IDENT_STRING="${HADOOP_HDFS_IDENT_STRING:-$HADOOP_IDENT_STRING}"
   HADOOP_HDFS_IDENT_STRING="${HADOOP_IDENT_STRING}"
@@ -71,12 +71,13 @@ if [[ -z "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}" ]]; then
   HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR=$(cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "${_hd_this}")" >/dev/null && pwd -P)
 fi
 
-if [ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh" ]; then
-  . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh"
-elif [ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]; then
+if [[ -n "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}" ]] &&
+   [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
   . "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
-elif [ -e "${HADOOP_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]; then
-  . "${HADOOP_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
+elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh"
+elif [ -e "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
 else
   echo "ERROR: Hadoop common not found." 2>&1
   exit 1
diff --git a/hadoop-mapreduce-project/bin/mapred-config.sh b/hadoop-mapreduce-project/bin/mapred-config.sh
index c24d3509c4..c2681ac66b 100644
--- a/hadoop-mapreduce-project/bin/mapred-config.sh
+++ b/hadoop-mapreduce-project/bin/mapred-config.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 function hadoop_subproject_init
 {
-  if [ -e "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}/mapred-env.sh" ]; then
+  if [[ -e "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}/mapred-env.sh" ]]; then
     . "${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}/mapred-env.sh"
   fi
   
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function hadoop_subproject_init
   HADOOP_ROOT_LOGGER="${HADOOP_MAPRED_ROOT_LOGGER:-INFO,console}"
   HADOOP_MAPRED_ROOT_LOGGER="${HADOOP_ROOT_LOGGER}"
   
-  HADOOP_MAPRED_HOME="${HADOOP_MAPRED_HOME:-$HADOOP_HOME_DIR}"
+  HADOOP_MAPRED_HOME="${HADOOP_MAPRED_HOME:-$HADOOP_PREFIX}"
   
   HADOOP_IDENT_STRING="${HADOOP_MAPRED_IDENT_STRING:-$HADOOP_IDENT_STRING}"
   HADOOP_MAPRED_IDENT_STRING="${HADOOP_IDENT_STRING}"
@@ -60,13 +60,15 @@ if [[ -z "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}" ]]; then
   HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR=$(cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "${_mc_this}")" >/dev/null && pwd -P)
 fi
 
-if [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
-  . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh"
-elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
+if [[ -n "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}" ]] &&
+   [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
   . "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
-elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
-  . "${HADOOP_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
+elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh"
+elif [ -e "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
 else
-  echo "Hadoop common not found."
-  exit
+  echo "ERROR: Hadoop common not found." 2>&1
+  exit 1
 fi
+
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/bin/yarn-config.sh b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/bin/yarn-config.sh
index 34d2d2d0a8..d83e9983d4 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/bin/yarn-config.sh
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/bin/yarn-config.sh
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ if [[ -z "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}" ]]; then
   HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR=$(cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "${_yc_this}")" >/dev/null && pwd -P)
 fi
 
-if [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
-  . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh"
-elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
+if [[ -n "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}" ]] &&
+   [[ -e "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
   . "${HADOOP_COMMON_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
-elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
-  . "${HADOOP_HOME}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
+elif [[ -e "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh" ]]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_LIBEXEC_DIR}/hadoop-config.sh"
+elif [ -e "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh" ]; then
+  . "${HADOOP_PREFIX}/libexec/hadoop-config.sh"
 else
-  echo "Hadoop common not found."
-  exit
+  echo "ERROR: Hadoop common not found." 2>&1
+  exit 1
 fi
-