diff --git a/filebeat/crawler/registrar.go b/filebeat/crawler/registrar.go
index 6746a4f5d86..f31e6a1309b 100644
--- a/filebeat/crawler/registrar.go
+++ b/filebeat/crawler/registrar.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func (r *Registrar) Init() error {
 }
 
 // loadState fetches the previous reading state from the configure RegistryFile file
-// The default file is .filebeat file which is stored in the same path as the binary is running
+// The default file is `registry` in the data path.
 func (r *Registrar) LoadState() {
 	if existing, e := os.Open(r.registryFile); e == nil {
 		defer existing.Close()
diff --git a/filebeat/docs/migration.asciidoc b/filebeat/docs/migration.asciidoc
index db8f12804a5..230c8bd826d 100644
--- a/filebeat/docs/migration.asciidoc
+++ b/filebeat/docs/migration.asciidoc
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ The registry file stores the state and location information that Filebeat uses t
 where it was last reading. Under Logstash Forwarder, this file was called `.logstash-fowarder`. For Filebeat,
 the file was renamed. The name varies depending on the package type:
 
- * `.filebeat` for `.tar.gz` and `.tgz` archives
+ * `data/registry` for `.tar.gz` and `.tgz` archives
  * `/var/lib/filebeat/registry` for DEB and RPM packages
  * `c:\ProgramData\filebeat\registry` for the Windows zip file
 
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ with the new packages.
 One notable change is the name of the registry file. The name varies depending on the package
 type:
 
- * `.filebeat` for `.tar.gz` and `.tgz` archives
+ * `registry` for `.tar.gz` and `.tgz` archives
  * `/usr/lib/filebeat/registry` for DEB and RPM packages
  * `c:\ProgramData\filebeat\registry` for the Windows zip file
 
diff --git a/filebeat/docs/reference/configuration/filebeat-options.asciidoc b/filebeat/docs/reference/configuration/filebeat-options.asciidoc
index 0b2cd2ae794..9a8901775cf 100644
--- a/filebeat/docs/reference/configuration/filebeat-options.asciidoc
+++ b/filebeat/docs/reference/configuration/filebeat-options.asciidoc
@@ -390,13 +390,13 @@ filebeat:
 
 ===== registry_file
 
-The name of the registry file. By default, the registry file is put in the current
-working directory. If the working directory changes for subsequent runs of Filebeat, indexing starts from the beginning again.
+The name of the registry file. If a relative path is used, it is considered relative to the
+data path. The default is `registry`.
 
 [source,yaml]
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 filebeat:
-  registry_file: .filebeat
+  registry_file: registry
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
diff --git a/filebeat/etc/beat.yml b/filebeat/etc/beat.yml
index bd92c850e1d..ee569ef269a 100644
--- a/filebeat/etc/beat.yml
+++ b/filebeat/etc/beat.yml
@@ -181,10 +181,9 @@ filebeat:
   # Flush even though spool_size is not reached.
   #idle_timeout: 5s
 
-  # Name of the registry file. Per default it is put in the current working
-  # directory. In case the working directory is changed after when running
-  # filebeat again, indexing starts from the beginning again.
-  #registry_file: .filebeat
+  # Name of the registry file. If a relative path is used, it is considered relative to the
+  # data path.
+  #registry_file: registry
 
   # Full Path to directory with additional prospector configuration files. Each file must end with .yml
   # These config files must have the full filebeat config part inside, but only
diff --git a/filebeat/filebeat.yml b/filebeat/filebeat.yml
index 8634eb676ef..1d82d8e8e80 100644
--- a/filebeat/filebeat.yml
+++ b/filebeat/filebeat.yml
@@ -181,10 +181,9 @@ filebeat:
   # Flush even though spool_size is not reached.
   #idle_timeout: 5s
 
-  # Name of the registry file. Per default it is put in the current working
-  # directory. In case the working directory is changed after when running
-  # filebeat again, indexing starts from the beginning again.
-  #registry_file: .filebeat
+  # Name of the registry file. If a relative path is used, it is considered relative to the
+  # data path.
+  #registry_file: registry
 
   # Full Path to directory with additional prospector configuration files. Each file must end with .yml
   # These config files must have the full filebeat config part inside, but only
diff --git a/filebeat/input/file_test.go b/filebeat/input/file_test.go
index e0cbce9f6db..a7891d52e4d 100644
--- a/filebeat/input/file_test.go
+++ b/filebeat/input/file_test.go
@@ -60,50 +60,50 @@ func TestSafeFileRotateExistingFile(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempdir))
 	}()
 
-	// create an existing .filebeat file
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"),
+	// create an existing registry file
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"),
 		[]byte("existing filebeat"), 0x777)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// create a new .filebeat.new file
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat.new"),
+	// create a new registry.new file
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry.new"),
 		[]byte("new filebeat"), 0x777)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// rotate .filebeat.new into .filebeat
-	err = SafeFileRotate(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"),
-		filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat.new"))
+	// rotate registry.new into registry
+	err = SafeFileRotate(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"),
+		filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry.new"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"))
+	contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, []byte("new filebeat"), contents)
 
 	// do it again to make sure we deal with deleting the old file
 
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat.new"),
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry.new"),
 		[]byte("new filebeat 1"), 0x777)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	err = SafeFileRotate(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"),
-		filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat.new"))
+	err = SafeFileRotate(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"),
+		filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry.new"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	contents, err = ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"))
+	contents, err = ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, []byte("new filebeat 1"), contents)
 
 	// and again for good measure
 
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat.new"),
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry.new"),
 		[]byte("new filebeat 2"), 0x777)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	err = SafeFileRotate(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"),
-		filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat.new"))
+	err = SafeFileRotate(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"),
+		filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry.new"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	contents, err = ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, ".filebeat"))
+	contents, err = ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempdir, "registry"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, []byte("new filebeat 2"), contents)
 }
diff --git a/filebeat/tests/load/filebeat.yml b/filebeat/tests/load/filebeat.yml
index 26f7cea3260..2df30ac223b 100644
--- a/filebeat/tests/load/filebeat.yml
+++ b/filebeat/tests/load/filebeat.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ filebeat:
 
   spool_size: 4096
   idle_timeout: 5s
-  registry_file: .filebeat
+  registry_file: registry
 
 
 ############################# Output ##########################################
diff --git a/filebeat/tests/system/filebeat.py b/filebeat/tests/system/filebeat.py
index 51dfd96f85d..a584cb0e234 100644
--- a/filebeat/tests/system/filebeat.py
+++ b/filebeat/tests/system/filebeat.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def setUpClass(self):
         super(BaseTest, self).setUpClass()
 
     def get_registry(self):
-        # Returns content of the .filebeat file
+        # Returns content of the registry file
         dotFilebeat = self.working_dir + '/registry'
         assert os.path.isfile(dotFilebeat) is True
 
diff --git a/libbeat/docs/shared-command-line.asciidoc b/libbeat/docs/shared-command-line.asciidoc
index 87a38f4f681..af297eab626 100644
--- a/libbeat/docs/shared-command-line.asciidoc
+++ b/libbeat/docs/shared-command-line.asciidoc
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ Start http server for profiling. This option is useful for troubleshooting and p
 Write memory profile data to the specified output file. This option is useful for
 troubleshooting the Beat.
 
+*`-path.config`*::
+Set the default location for configuration (e.g. the Elasticsearch template).
+
+*`-path.data`*::
+Set the default location for data files.
+
+*`-path.home`*::
+Set the default location for miscellaneous files.
+
 *`-v`*::
 Enable verbose output to show INFO-level messages.