diff --git a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
index 51db444da79..9219cc47444 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ https://github.com/elastic/beats/compare/v6.0.0-beta2...master[Check the HEAD di
 *Affecting all Beats*
 
 - Move TCP UDP start up into `server.Start()` {pull}4903[4903]
+- Changed the hashbang used in the beat helper script from `/bin/bash` to `/usr/bin/env bash`. {pull}5051[5051]
+- Changed beat helper script to use `exec` when running the beat. {pull}5051[5051]
 
 *Auditbeat*
 
diff --git a/dev-tools/packer/platforms/centos/beatname.sh.j2 b/dev-tools/packer/platforms/centos/beatname.sh.j2
index 9bb9c23da63..2601507722c 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packer/platforms/centos/beatname.sh.j2
+++ b/dev-tools/packer/platforms/centos/beatname.sh.j2
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-#!/bin/bash
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 # Script to run {.beat_name} in foreground with the same path settings that
 # the init script / systemd unit file would do.
 
-/usr/share/{{.beat_name}}/bin/{{.beat_name}} \
+exec /usr/share/{{.beat_name}}/bin/{{.beat_name}} \
   -path.home /usr/share/{{.beat_name}} \
   -path.config /etc/{{.beat_name}} \
   -path.data /var/lib/{{.beat_name}} \
diff --git a/dev-tools/packer/platforms/debian/beatname.sh.j2 b/dev-tools/packer/platforms/debian/beatname.sh.j2
index e37b7df26f1..fc36a268b83 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packer/platforms/debian/beatname.sh.j2
+++ b/dev-tools/packer/platforms/debian/beatname.sh.j2
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-#!/bin/bash
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 # Script to run {{.beat_name}} in foreground with the same path settings that
 # the init script / systemd unit file would do.
 
-/usr/share/{{.beat_name}}/bin/{{.beat_name}} \
+exec /usr/share/{{.beat_name}}/bin/{{.beat_name}} \
   -path.home /usr/share/{{.beat_name}} \
   -path.config /etc/{{.beat_name}} \
   -path.data /var/lib/{{.beat_name}} \