diff --git a/docs/UPGRADE.txt b/docs/UPGRADE.txt
index e2a4eca..d1a7151 100644
--- a/docs/UPGRADE.txt
+++ b/docs/UPGRADE.txt
@@ -36,18 +36,19 @@ you are reading this document.
 Shell commands::
 
   export AEGIR_VERSION=HEAD
-  export DRUPAL_DIR=/var/aegir/hostmaster-$AEGIR_VERSION
+  export AEGIR_DIR=/var/aegir
+  export DRUPAL_DIR=$AEGIR_DIR/hostmaster-$AEGIR_VERSION
   export DRUSH_VERSION=6.x-3.3
   export DRUSH_MAKE_VERSION=6.x-2.0-beta8
   export AEGIR_DOMAIN=aegir.example.com
-  export OLD_DRUPAL_DIR=/var/aegir/hostmaster-0.4-alpha9
+  export OLD_DRUPAL_DIR=$AEGIR_DIR/hostmaster-0.4-alpha9
 
 This document also assumes drush is installed properly and we use an
 environment variable to simplify the documentation again.
 
 Shell commands::
 
-  export DRUSH='php /var/aegir/drush/drush.php'
+  export DRUSH='php $AEGIR_DIR/drush/drush.php'
 
 As of the 0.4-alpha3 release, 'unzip' is a required dependency on your server
 in order to successfully extract the jquery.ui library that is part of some UI
@@ -96,12 +97,12 @@ frontend.
 
 Shell commands::
 
-  cd /var/aegir
+  cd $AEGIR_DIR
   mv drush drush.bak
   wget http://ftp.drupal.org/files/projects/drush-$DRUSH_VERSION.tar.gz 
   gunzip -c drush-$DRUSH_VERSION.tar.gz | tar -xf -
   rm drush-$DRUSH_VERSION.tar.gz
-  cd /var/aegir/.drush
+  cd $AEGIR_DIR/.drush
   mv provision ../provision.bak
   wget http://files.aegirproject.org/provision-$AEGIR_VERSION.tgz
   gunzip -c provision-$AEGIR_VERSION.tgz | tar -xf -
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ drush_make with the latest recommended release.
 
 Shell commands::
 
-  $DRUSH dl drush_make-$DRUSH_MAKE_VERSION --destination='/var/aegir/.drush'
+  $DRUSH dl drush_make-$DRUSH_MAKE_VERSION --destination='$AEGIR_DIR/.drush'
 
 Upgrading the frontend
 ----------------------