diff --git a/recipes/README.recipes.md b/recipes/README.recipes.md
index 8c91bdb5b..f70ec576c 100644
--- a/recipes/README.recipes.md
+++ b/recipes/README.recipes.md
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ Setups the SDK environment when enabled.
 
 Args:
   path (path): Path to a directory where to install the SDK
-    (default is '[start_dir]/windows_sdk')
+    (default is '[CACHE]/windows_sdk')
   version (str): CIPD version of the SDK
     (default is set via $infra/windows_sdk.version property)
   enabled (bool): Whether the SDK should be used or not.
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/api.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/api.py
index 6ff0323ec..c6ed26d55 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/api.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/api.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class WindowsSDKApi(recipe_api.RecipeApi):
 
     Args:
       path (path): Path to a directory where to install the SDK
-        (default is '[start_dir]/windows_sdk')
+        (default is '[CACHE]/windows_sdk')
       version (str): CIPD version of the SDK
         (default is set via $infra/windows_sdk.version property)
       enabled (bool): Whether the SDK should be used or not.
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class WindowsSDKApi(recipe_api.RecipeApi):
     """
     if enabled:
       sdk_dir = self._ensure_sdk(
-          path or self.m.path['start_dir'].join('windows_sdk'),
+          path or self.m.path['cache'].join('windows_sdk'),
           version or self._sdk_properties['version'])
       try:
         with self.m.context(**self._sdk_env(sdk_dir)):
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/examples/full.expected/win.json b/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/examples/full.expected/win.json
index ef292faba..092354d90 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/examples/full.expected/win.json
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/windows_sdk/examples/full.expected/win.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       "cipd.bat",
       "ensure",
       "-root",
-      "[START_DIR]\\windows_sdk",
+      "[CACHE]\\windows_sdk",
       "-ensure-file",
       "chrome_internal/third_party/sdk/windows uploaded:2018-06-13",
       "-json-output",
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
       "python",
       "-u",
       "\nimport shutil\nimport sys\nshutil.copy(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2])\n",
-      "[START_DIR]\\windows_sdk\\win_sdk\\bin\\SetEnv.x64.json",
+      "[CACHE]\\windows_sdk\\win_sdk\\bin\\SetEnv.x64.json",
       "/path/to/tmp/json"
     ],
     "name": "read SetEnv.x64.json",
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@
       "out/Release"
     ],
     "env": {
-      "VSINSTALLDIR": "[START_DIR]\\windows_sdk"
+      "VSINSTALLDIR": "[CACHE]\\windows_sdk"
     },
     "env_prefixes": {
       "PATH": [
-        "[START_DIR]\\windows_sdk\\win_sdk\\bin\\x64"
+        "[CACHE]\\windows_sdk\\win_sdk\\bin\\x64"
       ]
     },
     "name": "gn"
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@
       "out/Release"
     ],
     "env": {
-      "VSINSTALLDIR": "[START_DIR]\\windows_sdk"
+      "VSINSTALLDIR": "[CACHE]\\windows_sdk"
     },
     "env_prefixes": {
       "PATH": [
-        "[START_DIR]\\windows_sdk\\win_sdk\\bin\\x64"
+        "[CACHE]\\windows_sdk\\win_sdk\\bin\\x64"
       ]
     },
     "name": "ninja"