diff --git a/internal/deploy/base.go b/internal/deploy/base.go
index f5dd5b250e..67dda9d7c6 100644
--- a/internal/deploy/base.go
+++ b/internal/deploy/base.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ type ServiceManifest struct {
 
 // ServiceInstallerMetadata information about the installer
 type ServiceInstallerMetadata struct {
+	AgentPath     string
 	Arch          string
 	Docker        bool
 	FileExtension string
diff --git a/internal/installer/base.go b/internal/installer/base.go
index 429f1f0e7a..b102433b79 100644
--- a/internal/installer/base.go
+++ b/internal/installer/base.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/elastic/e2e-testing/internal/common"
 	"github.com/elastic/e2e-testing/internal/deploy"
+	"github.com/elastic/e2e-testing/internal/io"
 	"github.com/elastic/e2e-testing/internal/systemd"
 	"github.com/elastic/e2e-testing/pkg/downloads"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -114,6 +115,28 @@ func doUpgrade(ctx context.Context, so deploy.ServiceOperator) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// createAgentDirectories makes sure the agent directories belong to the root user
+func createAgentDirectories(ctx context.Context, i deploy.ServiceOperator, osArgs []string) error {
+	agentPath := i.PkgMetadata().AgentPath
+
+	err := io.MkdirAll(agentPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	output, err := i.Exec(ctx, osArgs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+		"args":   osArgs,
+		"output": output,
+		"path":   agentPath,
+	}).Debug("Agent directories will belong to root")
+	return nil
+}
+
 func systemCtlLog(ctx context.Context, OS string, execFn func(ctx context.Context, args []string) (string, error)) error {
 	cmds := systemd.LogCmds(common.ElasticAgentServiceName)
 	span, _ := apm.StartSpanOptions(ctx, "Retrieving logs for the Elastic Agent service", "elastic-agent."+OS+".log", apm.SpanOptions{
diff --git a/internal/installer/elasticagent_deb.go b/internal/installer/elasticagent_deb.go
index df3124eace..3e213fa656 100644
--- a/internal/installer/elasticagent_deb.go
+++ b/internal/installer/elasticagent_deb.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func AttachElasticAgentDEBPackage(d deploy.Deployment, service deploy.ServiceReq
 			service: service,
 			deploy:  d,
 			metadata: deploy.ServiceInstallerMetadata{
+				AgentPath:     "/var/lib/elastic-agent",
 				PackageType:   "deb",
 				Os:            "linux",
 				Arch:          utils.GetArchitecture(),
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ func (i *elasticAgentDEBPackage) AddFiles(ctx context.Context, files []string) e
 // Inspect returns info on package
 func (i *elasticAgentDEBPackage) Inspect() (deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest, error) {
 	return deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest{
-		WorkDir:    "/var/lib/elastic-agent",
+		WorkDir:    i.metadata.AgentPath,
 		CommitFile: "/etc/elastic-agent/.elastic-agent.active.commit",
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -141,6 +142,11 @@ func (i *elasticAgentDEBPackage) Postinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 // Preinstall executes operations before installing a DEB package
 func (i *elasticAgentDEBPackage) Preinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
+	err := createAgentDirectories(ctx, i, []string{"sudo", "chown", "-R", "root:root", i.metadata.AgentPath})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	installArtifactFn := func(ctx context.Context, artifact string, version string, useCISnapshots bool) error {
 		span, _ := apm.StartSpanOptions(ctx, "Pre-install "+artifact, artifact+".debian.pre-install", apm.SpanOptions{
 			Parent: apm.SpanFromContext(ctx).TraceContext(),
diff --git a/internal/installer/elasticagent_docker.go b/internal/installer/elasticagent_docker.go
index 521baffd8f..15ca2a5fef 100644
--- a/internal/installer/elasticagent_docker.go
+++ b/internal/installer/elasticagent_docker.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ func AttachElasticAgentDockerPackage(d deploy.Deployment, service deploy.Service
 			service: service,
 			deploy:  d,
 			metadata: deploy.ServiceInstallerMetadata{
+				AgentPath:     "/usr/share/elastic-agent",
 				PackageType:   "docker",
 				Os:            "linux",
 				Arch:          utils.GetArchitecture(),
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func (i *elasticAgentDockerPackage) AddFiles(ctx context.Context, files []string
 // Inspect returns info on package
 func (i *elasticAgentDockerPackage) Inspect() (deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest, error) {
 	return deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest{
-		WorkDir:    "/usr/share/elastic-agent",
+		WorkDir:    i.metadata.AgentPath,
 		CommitFile: "/usr/share/elastic-agent/.elastic-agent.active.commit",
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/installer/elasticagent_rpm.go b/internal/installer/elasticagent_rpm.go
index 43d6e0cfb6..d04653abd9 100644
--- a/internal/installer/elasticagent_rpm.go
+++ b/internal/installer/elasticagent_rpm.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func AttachElasticAgentRPMPackage(d deploy.Deployment, service deploy.ServiceReq
 			service: service,
 			deploy:  d,
 			metadata: deploy.ServiceInstallerMetadata{
+				AgentPath:     "/var/lib/elastic-agent",
 				PackageType:   "rpm",
 				Os:            "linux",
 				Arch:          arch,
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ func (i *elasticAgentRPMPackage) AddFiles(ctx context.Context, files []string) e
 // Inspect returns info on package
 func (i *elasticAgentRPMPackage) Inspect() (deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest, error) {
 	return deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest{
-		WorkDir:    "/var/lib/elastic-agent",
+		WorkDir:    i.metadata.AgentPath,
 		CommitFile: "/etc/elastic-agent/.elastic-agent.active.commit",
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -147,6 +148,11 @@ func (i *elasticAgentRPMPackage) Postinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 // Preinstall executes operations before installing a RPM package
 func (i *elasticAgentRPMPackage) Preinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
+	err := createAgentDirectories(ctx, i, []string{"sudo", "chown", "-R", "root:root", i.metadata.AgentPath})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	installArtifactFn := func(ctx context.Context, artifact string, version string, useCISnapshots bool) error {
 		span, _ := apm.StartSpanOptions(ctx, "Pre-install "+artifact, artifact+".rpm.pre-install", apm.SpanOptions{
 			Parent: apm.SpanFromContext(ctx).TraceContext(),
diff --git a/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar.go b/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar.go
index 83f9009069..61eb7d8fa8 100644
--- a/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar.go
+++ b/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ func AttachElasticAgentTARPackage(d deploy.Deployment, service deploy.ServiceReq
 			service: service,
 			deploy:  d,
 			metadata: deploy.ServiceInstallerMetadata{
+				AgentPath:     "/opt/Elastic/Agent",
 				PackageType:   "tar",
 				Os:            "linux",
 				Arch:          arch,
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ func (i *elasticAgentTARPackage) AddFiles(ctx context.Context, files []string) e
 // Inspect returns info on package
 func (i *elasticAgentTARPackage) Inspect() (deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest, error) {
 	return deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest{
-		WorkDir:    "/opt/Elastic/Agent",
+		WorkDir:    i.metadata.AgentPath,
 		CommitFile: "elastic-agent/.elastic-agent.active.commit",
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -122,6 +123,11 @@ func (i *elasticAgentTARPackage) Postinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 // Preinstall executes operations before installing a TAR package
 func (i *elasticAgentTARPackage) Preinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
+	err := createAgentDirectories(ctx, i, []string{"sudo", "chown", "-R", "root:root", i.metadata.AgentPath})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	installArtifactFn := func(ctx context.Context, artifact string, version string, useCISnapshots bool) error {
 		span, _ := apm.StartSpanOptions(ctx, "Pre-install "+artifact, artifact+".tar.pre-install", apm.SpanOptions{
 			Parent: apm.SpanFromContext(ctx).TraceContext(),
diff --git a/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar_macos.go b/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar_macos.go
index d32ca97cfa..7b0865cc47 100644
--- a/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar_macos.go
+++ b/internal/installer/elasticagent_tar_macos.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func AttachElasticAgentTARDarwinPackage(d deploy.Deployment, service deploy.Serv
 			service: service,
 			deploy:  d,
 			metadata: deploy.ServiceInstallerMetadata{
+				AgentPath:     "/opt/Elastic/Agent",
 				PackageType:   "tar",
 				Os:            "darwin",
 				Arch:          arch,
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ func (i *elasticAgentTARDarwinPackage) AddFiles(ctx context.Context, files []str
 // Inspect returns info on package
 func (i *elasticAgentTARDarwinPackage) Inspect() (deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest, error) {
 	return deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest{
-		WorkDir:    "/opt/Elastic/Agent",
+		WorkDir:    i.metadata.AgentPath,
 		CommitFile: "/elastic-agent/.elastic-agent.active.commit",
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -123,6 +124,11 @@ func (i *elasticAgentTARDarwinPackage) Preinstall(ctx context.Context) error {
 	span.Context.SetLabel("runtime", runtime.GOOS)
 	defer span.End()
 
+	err := createAgentDirectories(ctx, i, []string{"sudo", "chown", "-R", "root:root", i.metadata.AgentPath})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	artifact := "elastic-agent"
 
 	metadata := i.metadata
diff --git a/internal/installer/elasticagent_zip.go b/internal/installer/elasticagent_zip.go
index 9c4ebd3387..a5d226f192 100644
--- a/internal/installer/elasticagent_zip.go
+++ b/internal/installer/elasticagent_zip.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ func AttachElasticAgentZIPPackage(d deploy.Deployment, service deploy.ServiceReq
 			service: service,
 			deploy:  d,
 			metadata: deploy.ServiceInstallerMetadata{
+				AgentPath:     "C:\\Program Files\\Elastic\\Agent",
 				PackageType:   "zip",
 				Os:            "windows",
 				Arch:          "x86_64",
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ func (i *elasticAgentZIPPackage) AddFiles(ctx context.Context, files []string) e
 // Inspect returns info on package
 func (i *elasticAgentZIPPackage) Inspect() (deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest, error) {
 	return deploy.ServiceOperatorManifest{
-		WorkDir:    "C:\\Program Files\\Elastic\\Agent",
+		WorkDir:    i.metadata.AgentPath,
 		CommitFile: "C:\\elastic-agent\\.elastic-agent.active.commit",
 	}, nil
 }