diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/Shell.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/Shell.java
index 9231c78..233fbae 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/Shell.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/Shell.java
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ import org.apache.accumulo.core.client.security.tokens.PasswordToken;
 import org.apache.accumulo.core.conf.AccumuloConfiguration;
 import org.apache.accumulo.core.conf.DefaultConfiguration;
 import org.apache.accumulo.core.conf.Property;
-import org.apache.accumulo.core.conf.SiteConfiguration;
 import org.apache.accumulo.core.data.Key;
 import org.apache.accumulo.core.data.Value;
 import org.apache.accumulo.core.data.thrift.TConstraintViolationSummary;
@@ -463,7 +462,8 @@ public class Shell extends ShellOptions {
     if (instanceName == null) {
       instanceName = clientConfig.get(ClientProperty.INSTANCE_NAME);
     }
-    AccumuloConfiguration conf = SiteConfiguration.getInstance(ServerConfigurationUtil.convertClientConfig(DefaultConfiguration.getInstance(), clientConfig));
+    // use ClientConfig since it should have everything we need
+    AccumuloConfiguration conf = ServerConfigurationUtil.convertClientConfig(DefaultConfiguration.getInstance(), clientConfig);
     String keepers = getZooKeepers(keepersOption, clientConfig, conf);
     if (instanceName == null) {
       Path instanceDir = new Path(VolumeConfiguration.getVolumeUris(conf)[0], "instance_id");
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/ShellOptionsJC.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/ShellOptionsJC.java
index 2045eba..1b44a00 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/ShellOptionsJC.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/util/shell/ShellOptionsJC.java
@@ -280,6 +280,13 @@ public class ShellOptionsJC {
     if (useSsl()) {
       clientConfig.setProperty(ClientProperty.INSTANCE_RPC_SSL_ENABLED, "true");
     }
+    if (getZooKeeperInstance().size() > 0) {
+      List<String> zkOpts = getZooKeeperInstance();
+      String instanceName = zkOpts.get(0);
+      String hosts = zkOpts.get(1);
+      clientConfig.setProperty(ClientProperty.INSTANCE_ZK_HOST, hosts);
+      clientConfig.setProperty(ClientProperty.INSTANCE_NAME, instanceName);
+    }
 
     // Automatically try to add in the proper ZK from accumulo-site for backwards compat.
     if (!clientConfig.containsKey(ClientProperty.INSTANCE_ZK_HOST.getKey())) {