diff --git a/Formula/elasticsearch.rb b/Formula/elasticsearch.rb
index b97d7fc53ca..0e5bd91ec2f 100644
--- a/Formula/elasticsearch.rb
+++ b/Formula/elasticsearch.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ class Elasticsearch < Formula
   homepage 'http://www.elasticsearch.org'
   md5 'be59eaf874280e8f748269531dd0cf07'
 
+  def cluster_name
+    "elasticsearch_#{ENV['USER']}"
+  end
+
   def install
     # Remove Windows files
     rm_f Dir["bin/*.bat"]
@@ -12,22 +16,18 @@ class Elasticsearch < Formula
     # Install everything directly into folder
     prefix.install Dir['*']
 
-    # Make sure we have support folders in /usr/var
-    %w( run data/elasticsearch log ).each { |path| (var+path).mkpath }
-
-    # Put basic configuration into config file
+    # Set up ElasticSearch for local development:
     inreplace "#{prefix}/config/elasticsearch.yml" do |s|
-      s << <<-EOS.undent
-        cluster:
-          name: elasticsearch
 
-        path:
-          logs: #{var}/log
-          data: #{var}/data
-      EOS
+      # 1. Give the cluster a unique name
+      s.gsub! /#\s*cluster\.name\: elasticsearch/, "cluster.name: #{cluster_name}"
+
+      # 2. Configure paths
+      s.gsub! /#\s*path\.data\: [^\n]+/, "path.data: #{var}/elasticsearch/"
+      s.gsub! /#\s*path\.logs\: [^\n]+/, "path.logs: #{var}/log/elasticsearch/"
     end
 
-    # Write PLIST file for `launchd`
+    # Write .plist file for `launchd`
     (prefix+'org.elasticsearch.plist').write startup_plist
     (prefix+'org.elasticsearch.plist').chmod 0644
   end
@@ -50,13 +50,13 @@ class Elasticsearch < Formula
     To start ElasticSearch manually:
         elasticsearch -f -D es.config=#{prefix}/config/elasticsearch.yml
 
-    See the #{prefix}/config/elasticsearch.yml file for configuration.
+    See the 'elasticsearch.yml' file for configuration options.
 
     You'll find the ElasticSearch log here:
-        #{var}/log/elasticsearch.log
+        open #{var}/log/elasticsearch/#{cluster_name}.log
 
-    The folder with all the data is here:
-        #{var}/data/elasticsearch
+    The folder with cluster data is here:
+        open #{var}/elasticsearch/#{cluster_name}/
 
     You should see ElasticSearch running:
         open http://localhost:9200/
@@ -79,18 +79,17 @@ class Elasticsearch < Formula
             <string>#{bin}/elasticsearch</string>
             <string>-f</string>
             <string>-D es.config=#{prefix}/config/elasticsearch.yml</string>
-            <string>-p #{var}/run/elasticsearch.pid</string>
           </array>
           <key>RunAtLoad</key>
           <true/>
           <key>UserName</key>
-          <string>#{`whoami`.chomp}</string>
+          <string>#{ENV['USER']}</string>
           <key>WorkingDirectory</key>
           <string>#{var}</string>
           <key>StandardErrorPath</key>
-          <string>#{var}/log/elasticsearch.log</string>
+          <string>/dev/null</string>
           <key>StandardOutPath</key>
-          <string>#{var}/log/elasticsearch.log</string>
+          <string>/dev/null</string>
         </dict>
       </plist>
     PLIST