diff --git a/contrib/dokku-update b/contrib/dokku-update
index b07b9e790..31c3c97fe 100755
--- a/contrib/dokku-update
+++ b/contrib/dokku-update
@@ -2,9 +2,30 @@
 set -eo pipefail
 shopt -s nullglob
 
+if [[ -r /etc/defaults/dokku ]]; then
+  # shellcheck disable=SC1091
+  source /etc/defaults/dokku
+fi
+
 export DOKKU_ROOT=${DOKKU_ROOT:=~dokku}
-[[ -f $DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc ]] && source "$DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc"
-[[ -d $DOKKU_ROOT/.dokkurc ]] && for f in $DOKKU_ROOT/.dokkurc/*; do source "$f"; done
+if [[ -f "$DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc" ]]; then
+  if [[ -r $DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc ]]; then
+    source "$DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc"
+  else
+    echo "Unable to read $DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc for sourcing" 1>&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+if [[ -d $DOKKU_ROOT/.dokkurc ]]; then
+  for f in $DOKKU_ROOT/.dokkurc/*; do
+    if [[ -r "$f" ]]; then
+      source "$f"
+    else
+      echo "Unable to read $f for sourcing" 1>&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  done
+fi
 [[ $DOKKU_TRACE ]] && set -x
 
 export DOKKU_LIB_ROOT=${DOKKU_LIB_PATH:="/var/lib/dokku"}
diff --git a/debian/postinst b/debian/postinst
index 88650ad02..bbd9dd714 100755
--- a/debian/postinst
+++ b/debian/postinst
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ if [[ -e /usr/share/debconf/confmodule ]]; then
   . /usr/share/debconf/confmodule
 fi
 
+if [[ -r /etc/defaults/dokku ]]; then
+  # shellcheck disable=SC1091
+  source /etc/defaults/dokku
+fi
+
 readonly DOKKU_ROOT="${DOKKU_ROOT:-/home/dokku}"
 readonly DOKKU_LIB_ROOT="${DOKKU_LIB_PATH:-/var/lib/dokku}"
 
diff --git a/dokku b/dokku
index b8735131e..38a30067f 100755
--- a/dokku
+++ b/dokku
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 set -eo pipefail
 shopt -s nullglob
 
+if [[ -r /etc/defaults/dokku ]]; then
+  # shellcheck disable=SC1091
+  source /etc/defaults/dokku
+fi
+
 export DOKKU_ROOT=${DOKKU_ROOT:=~dokku}
 if [[ -f "$DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc" ]]; then
   if [[ -r $DOKKU_ROOT/dokkurc ]]; then
diff --git a/rpm/dokku.postinst b/rpm/dokku.postinst
index 8638a9065..9b484d74c 100644
--- a/rpm/dokku.postinst
+++ b/rpm/dokku.postinst
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ setup-version() {
 }
 
 main() {
+  if [[ -r /etc/defaults/dokku ]]; then
+    # shellcheck disable=SC1091
+    source /etc/defaults/dokku
+  fi
+
   readonly DOKKU_ROOT="${DOKKU_ROOT:-/home/dokku}"
   readonly DOKKU_LIB_ROOT="${DOKKU_LIB_PATH:-/var/lib/dokku}"