diff --git a/ledger-tool/src/main.rs b/ledger-tool/src/main.rs
index 9cc982567..12bf62fef 100644
--- a/ledger-tool/src/main.rs
+++ b/ledger-tool/src/main.rs
@@ -1912,6 +1912,15 @@ fn main() {
             if let Some(bins) = value_t!(matches, "accounts_index_bins", usize).ok() {
                 accounts_index_config.bins = Some(bins);
             }
+
+            {
+                let mut accounts_index_paths = vec![]; // will be option
+                if accounts_index_paths.is_empty() {
+                    accounts_index_paths = vec![ledger_path.join("accounts_index")];
+                }
+                accounts_index_config.drives = Some(accounts_index_paths);
+            }
+
             let accounts_db_config = Some(AccountsDbConfig {
                 index: Some(accounts_index_config),
                 accounts_hash_cache_path: Some(ledger_path.clone()),
diff --git a/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs b/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs
index 961d23eaf..cf74cb5c7 100644
--- a/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/accounts_index.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use std::{
         Bound::{Excluded, Included, Unbounded},
         Range, RangeBounds,
     },
+    path::PathBuf,
     sync::{
         atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicU64, Ordering},
         Arc, Mutex, RwLock, RwLockReadGuard, RwLockWriteGuard,
@@ -38,10 +39,12 @@ pub const FLUSH_THREADS_TESTING: usize = 1;
 pub const ACCOUNTS_INDEX_CONFIG_FOR_TESTING: AccountsIndexConfig = AccountsIndexConfig {
     bins: Some(BINS_FOR_TESTING),
     flush_threads: Some(FLUSH_THREADS_TESTING),
+    drives: None,
 };
 pub const ACCOUNTS_INDEX_CONFIG_FOR_BENCHMARKS: AccountsIndexConfig = AccountsIndexConfig {
     bins: Some(BINS_FOR_BENCHMARKS),
     flush_threads: Some(FLUSH_THREADS_TESTING),
+    drives: None,
 };
 pub type ScanResult<T> = Result<T, ScanError>;
 pub type SlotList<T> = Vec<(Slot, T)>;
@@ -97,6 +100,7 @@ pub struct AccountSecondaryIndexesIncludeExclude {
 pub struct AccountsIndexConfig {
     pub bins: Option<usize>,
     pub flush_threads: Option<usize>,
+    pub drives: Option<Vec<PathBuf>>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Clone)]
diff --git a/validator/src/main.rs b/validator/src/main.rs
index fe2ebe2e1..41d04e580 100644
--- a/validator/src/main.rs
+++ b/validator/src/main.rs
@@ -2512,6 +2512,14 @@ pub fn main() {
         accounts_index_config.bins = Some(bins);
     }
 
+    {
+        let mut accounts_index_paths = vec![]; // will be option soon
+        if accounts_index_paths.is_empty() {
+            accounts_index_paths = vec![ledger_path.join("accounts_index")];
+        }
+        accounts_index_config.drives = Some(accounts_index_paths);
+    }
+
     let accounts_db_config = Some(AccountsDbConfig {
         index: Some(accounts_index_config),
         accounts_hash_cache_path: Some(ledger_path.clone()),