diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder b/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder
index 0f5dea3782..d8ac7e3526 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@ start_z3950()
     if ! is_z3950_running ${instancename}; then
         export KOHA_CONF="/etc/koha/sites/${instancename}/koha-conf.xml"
 
-        Z3950_ADDITIONAL_OPTS="$( xmlstarlet sel -t -v 'yazgfs/config/z3950_responder_options' $KOHA_CONF || true )"
+        if [[ ! $Z3950_ADDITIONAL_OPTS ]]; then
+            Z3950_ADDITIONAL_OPTS="$( xmlstarlet sel -t -v 'yazgfs/config/z3950_responder_options' "$CONFIGDIR/config.xml" || true )"
+        fi
 
         log_daemon_msg "Starting Z39.50/SRU daemon for ${instancename}"
 
diff --git a/etc/koha-conf.xml b/etc/koha-conf.xml
index 69f8acb05d..3e5623cb96 100644
--- a/etc/koha-conf.xml
+++ b/etc/koha-conf.xml
@@ -281,10 +281,5 @@
      <do_not_remove_cookie>KohaOpacLanguage</do_not_remove_cookie>
  -->
 
- <!-- See z3950_responder.pl for available options. The options -c, -u and -p are already passed automatically by koha-z3950-responder -->
- <!--
- <z3950_responder_options>--add-item-status k -t 5</z3950_responder_options>
- -->
-
 </config>
 </yazgfs>
diff --git a/etc/z3950/config.xml b/etc/z3950/config.xml
index 7433851f8b..ceae0a9c6f 100644
--- a/etc/z3950/config.xml
+++ b/etc/z3950/config.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 <yazgfs>
+ <!-- See z3950_responder.pl for available options. The options -c, -u and -p are already passed automatically by koha-z3950-responder -->
+ <!--
+ <z3950_responder_options>--add-item-status k -t 5</z3950_responder_options>
+ -->
+
   <listen id="public">tcp:@:2100</listen>
   <server>
     <cql2rpn>pqf.properties</cql2rpn>