diff --git a/tools/install_demo_configuration.bat b/tools/install_demo_configuration.bat
index d9d30fea2b..2d5a83dc3c 100755
--- a/tools/install_demo_configuration.bat
+++ b/tools/install_demo_configuration.bat
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ set "assumeyes=0"
 set "initsecurity=0"
 set "cluster_mode=0"
 set "skip_updates=-1"
+set "use_default_admin_password=0"
 
 goto :GETOPTS
 
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ echo   -y confirm all installation dialogues automatically
 echo   -i initialize Security plugin with default configuration (default is to ask if -y is not given)
 echo   -c enable cluster mode by binding to all network interfaces (default is to ask if -y is not given)
 echo   -s skip updates if config is already applied to opensearch.yml
+echo   -p to set default admin password as 'admin' for non-production environment (default requires user to set it up manually)
 EXIT /B 0
 
 :GETOPTS
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ if /I "%1" == "-y" set "assumeyes=1"
 if /I "%1" == "-i" set "initsecurity=1"
 if /I "%1" == "-c" set "cluster_mode=1"
 if /I "%1" == "-s" set "skip_updates=0"
+if /I "%1" == "-p" set "use_default_admin_password=1"
 shift
 if not "%1" == "" goto :GETOPTS
 
@@ -331,16 +334,24 @@ dir %OPENSEARCH_CONF_DIR%
 echo "what is in the password file"
 type "%ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE%"
 
-
-if "%initialAdminPassword%" NEQ "" (
-  set "ADMIN_PASSWORD=!initialAdminPassword!"
+if "%use_default_admin_password%"=="1" (
+    set "ADMIN_PASSWORD=admin"
 ) else (
-  for /f %%a in ('type "%ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE%"') do set "ADMIN_PASSWORD=%%a"
+    if "%initialAdminPassword%" NEQ "" (
+        set "ADMIN_PASSWORD=%initialAdminPassword%"
+    ) else (
+        for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type "%ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE%"') do (
+            set "ADMIN_PASSWORD=%%a"
+            goto breakloop
+        )
+    )
 )
 
+:breakloop
+
 if not defined ADMIN_PASSWORD (
-  echo Unable to find the admin password for the cluster. Please set initialAdminPassword or create a file %ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE% with a single line that contains the password.
-  exit /b 1
+    echo Unable to find the admin password for the cluster. Please set initialAdminPassword or create a file %ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE% with a single line that contains the password.
+    exit /b 1
 )
 
 echo "   ***************************************************"
diff --git a/tools/install_demo_configuration.sh b/tools/install_demo_configuration.sh
index 01bc1bfed1..1b67e8f050 100755
--- a/tools/install_demo_configuration.sh
+++ b/tools/install_demo_configuration.sh
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ assumeyes=0
 initsecurity=0
 cluster_mode=0
 skip_updates=-1
+USE_DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD=0
 
 function show_help() {
     echo "install_demo_configuration.sh [-y] [-i] [-c]"
@@ -37,9 +38,10 @@ function show_help() {
     echo "  -i initialize Security plugin with default configuration (default is to ask if -y is not given)"
     echo "  -c enable cluster mode by binding to all network interfaces (default is to ask if -y is not given)"
     echo "  -s skip updates if config is already applied to opensearch.yml"
+    echo "  -p to set default admin password as 'admin' for non-production environment (default requires user to set it up manually)"
 }
 
-while getopts "h?yics" opt; do
+while getopts "h?yicsp" opt; do
     case "$opt" in
     h|\?)
         show_help
@@ -52,6 +54,9 @@ while getopts "h?yics" opt; do
     c)  cluster_mode=1
         ;;
     s)  skip_updates=0
+        ;;
+    p)  USE_DEFAULT_PASSWORD=1
+        ;;
     esac
 done
 
@@ -392,13 +397,18 @@ echo 'plugins.security.system_indices.indices: [".plugins-ml-config", ".plugins-
 ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE="$OPENSEARCH_CONF_DIR/initialAdminPassword.txt"
 INTERNAL_USERS_FILE="$OPENSEARCH_CONF_DIR/opensearch-security/internal_users.yml"
 
-if [[ -n "$initialAdminPassword" ]]; then
-  ADMIN_PASSWORD="$initialAdminPassword"
-elif [[ -f "$ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE" && -s "$ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE" ]]; then
-  ADMIN_PASSWORD=$(head -n 1 "$ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE")
+if [[ $USE_DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD -eq 1 ]]; then
+  echo "Skipping the admin password setup for the cluster, and setting up the default admin password as 'admin'."
+  ADMIN_PASSWORD="admin"
 else
-  echo "Unable to find the admin password for the cluster. Please run 'export initialAdminPassword=<your_password>' or create a file $ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE with a single line that contains the password."
-  exit 1
+  if [[ -n "$initialAdminPassword" ]]; then
+    ADMIN_PASSWORD="$initialAdminPassword"
+  elif [[ -f "$ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE" && -s "$ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE" ]]; then
+    ADMIN_PASSWORD=$(head -n 1 "$ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE")
+  else
+    echo "Unable to find the admin password for the cluster. Please run 'export initialAdminPassword=<your_password>' or create a file $ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE with a single line that contains the password."
+    exit 1
+  fi
 fi
 
 echo "   ***************************************************"