diff --git a/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes.go b/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes.go
index d8a51e1fb94..a26b811754d 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes.go
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ func buildVolumes(
 		volumeMounts = append(volumeMounts, fileSettingsVolume.VolumeMount())
 	}
 
-	volumeMounts = esvolume.AppendDefaultDataVolumeMount(volumeMounts, volumes)
+	// include the user-provided PodTemplate volumes as the user may have defined the data volume there (e.g.: emptyDir or hostpath volume)
+	volumeMounts = esvolume.AppendDefaultDataVolumeMount(volumeMounts, append(volumes, nodeSpec.PodTemplate.Spec.Volumes...))
 
 	return volumes, volumeMounts
 }
diff --git a/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes_test.go b/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8884834d775
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/nodespec/volumes_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+// Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+// or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0;
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License 2.0.
+
+package nodespec
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+
+	esv1 "github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/v2/pkg/apis/elasticsearch/v1"
+	"github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/v2/pkg/controller/common/version"
+	"github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/v2/pkg/controller/common/volume"
+	esvolume "github.com/elastic/cloud-on-k8s/v2/pkg/controller/elasticsearch/volume"
+)
+
+// Test_BuildVolumes_DataVolumeMountPath tests that the elasticsearch-data volumeMount is always set.
+func Test_BuildVolumes_DataVolumeMountPath(t *testing.T) {
+	hostPathType := corev1.HostPathDirectoryOrCreate
+
+	tt := []struct {
+		name     string
+		nodeSpec esv1.NodeSet
+		want     []corev1.ContainerPort
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "with eck default data PVC",
+			nodeSpec: esv1.NodeSet{
+				VolumeClaimTemplates: esvolume.DefaultVolumeClaimTemplates,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "with user provided data PVC",
+			nodeSpec: esv1.NodeSet{
+				VolumeClaimTemplates: []corev1.PersistentVolumeClaim{{
+					ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+						Name: "elasticsearch-data",
+					},
+					Spec: corev1.PersistentVolumeClaimSpec{
+						AccessModes: []corev1.PersistentVolumeAccessMode{
+							corev1.ReadWriteOnce,
+						},
+						Resources: corev1.ResourceRequirements{
+							Requests: corev1.ResourceList{
+								corev1.ResourceStorage: resource.MustParse("42Ti"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				}},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "with user provided data empty volume",
+			nodeSpec: esv1.NodeSet{
+				PodTemplate: corev1.PodTemplateSpec{
+					Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+						Volumes: []corev1.Volume{{
+							Name: "elasticsearch-data",
+							VolumeSource: corev1.VolumeSource{
+								EmptyDir: &corev1.EmptyDirVolumeSource{},
+							}},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "with user provided data hostpath volume",
+			nodeSpec: esv1.NodeSet{
+				PodTemplate: corev1.PodTemplateSpec{
+					Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+						Volumes: []corev1.Volume{{
+							Name: "elasticsearch-data",
+							VolumeSource: corev1.VolumeSource{
+								HostPath: &corev1.HostPathVolumeSource{
+									Path: "/mnt/data",
+									Type: &hostPathType,
+								},
+							},
+						}},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tt {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			_, volumeMounts := buildVolumes("esname", version.MustParse("8.8.0"), tc.nodeSpec, nil, volume.DownwardAPI{})
+			assert.True(t, contains(volumeMounts, "elasticsearch-data", "/usr/share/elasticsearch/data"))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func contains(volumeMounts []corev1.VolumeMount, volumeMountName, volumeMountPath string) bool {
+	for _, vm := range volumeMounts {
+		if vm.Name == volumeMountName && vm.MountPath == volumeMountPath {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}