diff --git a/ceilometer/event/converter.py b/ceilometer/event/converter.py
index 4bf514b9b8..eae980d44b 100644
--- a/ceilometer/event/converter.py
+++ b/ceilometer/event/converter.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
+import os
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log
 from oslo_utils import fnmatch
@@ -25,7 +26,10 @@ from ceilometer.i18n import _
 
 OPTS = [
     cfg.StrOpt('definitions_cfg_file',
-               default="event_definitions.yaml",
+               default=os.path.abspath(
+                   os.path.join(
+                       os.path.split(os.path.dirname(__file__))[0],
+                       "pipeline", "data", "event_definitions.yaml")),
                help="Configuration file for event definitions."
                ),
     cfg.BoolOpt('drop_unmatched_notifications',
diff --git a/ceilometer/pipeline.py b/ceilometer/pipeline.py
index d39afc8228..1b3300d1ff 100644
--- a/ceilometer/pipeline.py
+++ b/ceilometer/pipeline.py
@@ -37,11 +37,17 @@ from ceilometer import sample as sample_util
 
 OPTS = [
     cfg.StrOpt('pipeline_cfg_file',
-               default="pipeline.yaml",
+               default=os.path.abspath(
+                   os.path.join(
+                       os.path.dirname(__file__),
+                       "pipeline", "data", "pipeline.yaml")),
                help="Configuration file for pipeline definition."
                ),
     cfg.StrOpt('event_pipeline_cfg_file',
-               default="event_pipeline.yaml",
+               default=os.path.abspath(
+                   os.path.join(
+                       os.path.dirname(__file__),
+                       "pipeline", "data", "event_pipeline.yaml")),
                help="Configuration file for event pipeline definition."
                ),
     cfg.BoolOpt('refresh_pipeline_cfg',
diff --git a/etc/ceilometer/event_definitions.yaml b/ceilometer/pipeline/data/event_definitions.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from etc/ceilometer/event_definitions.yaml
rename to ceilometer/pipeline/data/event_definitions.yaml
diff --git a/etc/ceilometer/event_pipeline.yaml b/ceilometer/pipeline/data/event_pipeline.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from etc/ceilometer/event_pipeline.yaml
rename to ceilometer/pipeline/data/event_pipeline.yaml
diff --git a/etc/ceilometer/pipeline.yaml b/ceilometer/pipeline/data/pipeline.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from etc/ceilometer/pipeline.yaml
rename to ceilometer/pipeline/data/pipeline.yaml
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/db.py b/ceilometer/tests/db.py
index 462eff1ab6..46b11d8d0b 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/db.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/db.py
@@ -186,10 +186,6 @@ class TestBase(test_base.BaseTestCase):
         # tests work even if ceilometer is not installed globally on
         # the system.
         self.CONF.import_opt('pipeline_cfg_file', 'ceilometer.pipeline')
-        self.CONF.set_override(
-            'pipeline_cfg_file',
-            self.path_get('etc/ceilometer/pipeline.yaml')
-        )
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self.conn.clear()
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_bin.py b/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_bin.py
index 3949946b53..1cd4b165ea 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_bin.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_bin.py
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ class BinTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
 class BinSendSampleTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(BinSendSampleTestCase, self).setUp()
-        pipeline_cfg_file = self.path_get('etc/ceilometer/pipeline.yaml')
+        pipeline_cfg_file = self.path_get(
+            'ceilometer/pipeline/data/pipeline.yaml')
         content = ("[DEFAULT]\n"
                    "transport_url = fake://\n"
                    "pipeline_cfg_file={0}\n".format(pipeline_cfg_file))
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_notification.py b/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_notification.py
index 7139956bf8..e64dd15aae 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_notification.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/functional/test_notification.py
@@ -241,10 +241,7 @@ class BaseRealNotification(tests_base.BaseTestCase):
 
         self.CONF.set_override("event_pipeline_cfg_file",
                                ev_pipeline_cfg_file)
-        self.CONF.set_override(
-            "definitions_cfg_file",
-            self.path_get('etc/ceilometer/event_definitions.yaml'),
-            group='event')
+
         self.publisher = test_publisher.TestPublisher(self.CONF, "")
 
     def _check_notification_service(self):
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_decoupled_pipeline.py b/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_decoupled_pipeline.py
index 4c9e064150..a8db848360 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_decoupled_pipeline.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/unit/test_decoupled_pipeline.py
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class TestDecoupledPipeline(pipeline_base.BasePipelineTestCase):
 
     def _do_test_rate_of_change_in_boilerplate_pipeline_cfg(self, index,
                                                             meters, units):
-        with open('etc/ceilometer/pipeline.yaml') as fap:
+        with open('ceilometer/pipeline/data/pipeline.yaml') as fap:
             data = fap.read()
         pipeline_cfg = yaml.safe_load(data)
         for s in pipeline_cfg['sinks']:
diff --git a/devstack/plugin.sh b/devstack/plugin.sh
index ee0165f2f0..8e3802f767 100644
--- a/devstack/plugin.sh
+++ b/devstack/plugin.sh
@@ -270,14 +270,14 @@ function _ceilometer_configure_storage_backend {
     fi
 
     if [ "$CEILOMETER_BACKEND" = 'mysql' ] || [ "$CEILOMETER_BACKEND" = 'postgresql' ] || [ "$CEILOMETER_BACKEND" = 'mongodb' ]; then
-        sed -i 's/gnocchi:\/\//database:\/\//g' $CEILOMETER_CONF_DIR/event_pipeline.yaml $CEILOMETER_CONF_DIR/pipeline.yaml
+        sed -i 's/gnocchi:\/\//database:\/\//g' $CEILOMETER_DIR/ceilometer/pipeline/data/event_pipeline.yaml $CEILOMETER_DIR/ceilometer/pipeline/data/pipeline.yaml
     fi
 
     # configure panko
     if is_service_enabled panko-api; then
         iniadd $CEILOMETER_CONF DEFAULT event_dispatchers panko
         if ! grep -q 'panko' $CEILOMETER_CONF_DIR/event_pipeline.yaml ; then
-            echo '          - direct://?dispatcher=panko' >> $CEILOMETER_CONF_DIR/event_pipeline.yaml
+            echo '          - direct://?dispatcher=panko' >> $CEILOMETER_DIR/ceilometer/pipeline/data/event_pipeline.yaml
         fi
     fi
 
@@ -310,8 +310,7 @@ function configure_ceilometer {
     # with rootwrap installation done elsewhere and also clobber
     # ceilometer.conf settings that have already been made.
     # Anyway, explicit is better than implicit.
-    for conffile in policy.json api_paste.ini pipeline.yaml polling.yaml \
-                    event_definitions.yaml event_pipeline.yaml; do
+    for conffile in policy.json api_paste.ini polling.yaml; do
         cp $CEILOMETER_DIR/etc/ceilometer/$conffile $CEILOMETER_CONF_DIR
     done
 
diff --git a/doc/source/install/custom.rst b/doc/source/install/custom.rst
index f5e5e6cc7d..a67a555095 100644
--- a/doc/source/install/custom.rst
+++ b/doc/source/install/custom.rst
@@ -153,6 +153,20 @@ configuration settings should be added::
    If gnocchi dispatcher is enabled, Ceilometer api calls will return a 410 with
    an empty result. The Gnocchi Api should be used instead to access the data.
 
+Custom pipeline
+===============
+
+The paths of all pipeline files including ``pipeline.yaml`` and ``event_pipeline.yaml``
+are located to ceilometer/pipeline/data by default. And it's possible to set the
+path through ``pipeline_cfg_file`` being assigned to another one in ``ceilometer.conf``.
+
+Ceilometer allow users to customize pipeline files. Before that, copy the following
+yaml files::
+
+    $ cp ceilometer/pipeline/data/*.yaml /etc/ceilometer
+
+Then you can add configurations according to the former section.
+
 Efficient polling
 =================
 
diff --git a/doc/source/install/manual.rst b/doc/source/install/manual.rst
index 8987dcab31..19e0b2367c 100644
--- a/doc/source/install/manual.rst
+++ b/doc/source/install/manual.rst
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ Installing the notification agent
    to their final location::
 
    $ mkdir -p /etc/ceilometer
-   $ cp etc/ceilometer/*.yaml /etc/ceilometer
    $ cp etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf /etc/ceilometer
 
 5. Edit ``/etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf``
@@ -192,7 +191,6 @@ Installing the Polling Agent
    to their final location::
 
    $ mkdir -p /etc/ceilometer
-   $ cp etc/ceilometer/*.yaml /etc/ceilometer
    $ cp etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf /etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf
 
 5. Configure messaging by editing ``/etc/ceilometer/ceilometer.conf``::
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ship-yaml-files-33aa5852bedba7f0.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ship-yaml-files-33aa5852bedba7f0.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..91c706acb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ship-yaml-files-33aa5852bedba7f0.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+other:
+  - |
+    Ship YAML files to ceilometer/pipeline/data/ make it convenient
+    to update all the files on upgrade. Users can copy yaml files from
+    /usr/share/ceilometer and customise their own files located in
+    /etc/ceilometer/.