diff --git a/common/control_files/vrouter-post-start.sh b/common/control_files/vrouter-post-start.sh
index 6a1463a7b..34c89a0ae 100644
--- a/common/control_files/vrouter-post-start.sh
+++ b/common/control_files/vrouter-post-start.sh
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@
 
 source /etc/contrail/agent_param
 ip link set dev $dev up
+
+# apport updates the core pattern; overwrite here to use /var/crashes pattern
+echo "/var/crashes/core.%e.%p.%h.%t" > /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern