diff --git a/plugins/maven/src/main/java/org/jetbrains/idea/maven/execution/MavenExternalParameters.java b/plugins/maven/src/main/java/org/jetbrains/idea/maven/execution/MavenExternalParameters.java
index 8aead889ac27..dff5a8759e83 100644
--- a/plugins/maven/src/main/java/org/jetbrains/idea/maven/execution/MavenExternalParameters.java
+++ b/plugins/maven/src/main/java/org/jetbrains/idea/maven/execution/MavenExternalParameters.java
@@ -173,10 +173,10 @@ public class MavenExternalParameters {
   }
 
   public static void addVMParameters(ParametersList parametersList, String mavenHome, MavenRunnerSettings runnerSettings) {
-    parametersList.addParametersString(runnerSettings.getVmOptions());
-
     parametersList.addParametersString(System.getenv(MAVEN_OPTS));
 
+    parametersList.addParametersString(runnerSettings.getVmOptions());
+
     parametersList.addProperty("classworlds.conf", MavenUtil.getMavenConfFile(new File(mavenHome)).getPath());
 
     parametersList.addProperty("maven.home", mavenHome);