diff --git a/docs/configuration.asciidoc b/docs/configuration.asciidoc
index b2e43fcdfb..0e76c9ed6c 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/configuration.asciidoc
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ it will be parsed out of the `/proc/self/cgroup` file.
 ==== `kubernetesNodeName`
 
 * *Type:* String
-* *Env:* `ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_NODE_NAME`
+* *Env:* `KUBERNETES_NODE_NAME`
 
 Specify the kubernetes node name to associate with all reported events.
 
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ Specify the kubernetes node name to associate with all reported events.
 ==== `kubernetesNamespace`
 
 * *Type:* String
-* *Env:* `ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE`
+* *Env:* `KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE`
 
 Specify the kubernetes namespace to associate with all reported events.
 
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ Specify the kubernetes namespace to associate with all reported events.
 ==== `kubernetesPodName`
 
 * *Type:* String
-* *Env:* `ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_POD_NAME`
+* *Env:* `KUBERNETES_POD_NAME`
 
 Specify the kubernetes pod name to associate with all reported events.
 If absent,
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ this will default to the local hostname.
 ==== `kubernetesPodUID`
 
 * *Type:* String
-* *Env:* `ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_POD_UID`
+* *Env:* `KUBERNETES_POD_UID`
 
 Specify the kubernetes pod uid to associate with all reported events.
 If absent,
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 1e9ecee188..99d382d7c8 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -105,10 +105,10 @@ var ENV_TABLE = {
   disableInstrumentations: 'ELASTIC_APM_DISABLE_INSTRUMENTATIONS',
   payloadLogFile: 'ELASTIC_APM_PAYLOAD_LOG_FILE',
   containerId: 'ELASTIC_APM_CONTAINER_ID',
-  kubernetesNodeName: 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_NODE_NAME',
-  kubernetesNamespace: 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE',
-  kubernetesPodName: 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_POD_NAME',
-  kubernetesPodUID: 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_POD_UID',
+  kubernetesNodeName: [ 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_NODE_NAME', 'KUBERNETES_NODE_NAME' ],
+  kubernetesNamespace: [ 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE', 'KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE' ],
+  kubernetesPodName: [ 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_POD_NAME', 'KUBERNETES_POD_NAME' ],
+  kubernetesPodUID: [ 'ELASTIC_APM_KUBERNETES_POD_UID', 'KUBERNETES_POD_UID' ],
   captureHeaders: 'ELASTIC_APM_CAPTURE_HEADERS',
   metricsInterval: 'ELASTIC_APM_METRICS_INTERVAL',
   usePathAsTransactionName: 'ELASTIC_APM_USE_PATH_AS_TRANSACTION_NAME',
@@ -280,7 +280,12 @@ function readEnv () {
 
   Object.keys(ENV_TABLE).forEach(function (key) {
     var env = ENV_TABLE[key]
-    if (env in process.env) opts[key] = process.env[env]
+    if (!Array.isArray(env)) env = [ env ]
+    for (let envKey of env) {
+      if (envKey in process.env) {
+        opts[key] = process.env[envKey]
+      }
+    }
   })
 
   return opts
diff --git a/test/config.js b/test/config.js
index 07896f57fa..e9cf493571 100644
--- a/test/config.js
+++ b/test/config.js
@@ -313,6 +313,25 @@ keyValuePairValues.forEach(function (key) {
   })
 })
 
+var noPrefixValues = [
+  ['kubernetesNodeName', 'KUBERNETES_NODE_NAME'],
+  ['kubernetesNamespace', 'KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE'],
+  ['kubernetesPodName', 'KUBERNETES_POD_NAME'],
+  ['kubernetesPodUID', 'KUBERNETES_POD_UID']
+]
+
+noPrefixValues.forEach(function (pair) {
+  const [ key, envVar ] = pair
+  test(`maps ${envVar} to ${key}`, (t) => {
+    var agent = Agent()
+    process.env[envVar] = 'test'
+    agent.start()
+    delete process.env[envVar]
+    t.equal(agent._conf[key], 'test')
+    t.end()
+  })
+})
+
 test('should overwrite option property active by ELASTIC_APM_ACTIVE', function (t) {
   var agent = Agent()
   var opts = { serviceName: 'foo', secretToken: 'baz', active: true }