diff --git a/docs/visualize/vega.asciidoc b/docs/visualize/vega.asciidoc
index e0d9955f0c3d..efe9094a1492 100644
--- a/docs/visualize/vega.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/visualize/vega.asciidoc
@@ -172,12 +172,19 @@ except that the time range is shifted back by 10 minutes:
           // the auto-generated "MUST-NOT" clause
           "%dashboard_context-must_not_clause%"
         ]
+        filter: [
+          // This string will be replaced
+          // with the auto-generated "FILTER" clause
+          "%dashboard_context-filter_clause%"
+        ]
       }
     }
   }
 }
 ----
 
+NOTE: When using `"%context%": true` or defining a value for "%timefield%"` the body cannot contain a query. To customize the query within the VEGA specification (e.g. add an additional filter, or shift the timefilter), define your query and use the placeholders as in the example above. The placeholders will be replaced by the actual context of the dashboard or visualization once parsed.
+
 The `"%timefilter%"` can also be used to specify a single min or max
 value. The date_histogram's `extended_bounds` can be set
 with two values - min and max. Instead of hardcoding a value, you may
diff --git a/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.js b/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.js
index 387301c2c7de..f7772ff888a6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.js
+++ b/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { isPlainObject, cloneDeep } from 'lodash';
 const TIMEFILTER = '%timefilter%';
 const AUTOINTERVAL = '%autointerval%';
 const MUST_CLAUSE = '%dashboard_context-must_clause%';
+const FILTER_CLAUSE = '%dashboard_context-filter_clause%';
 const MUST_NOT_CLAUSE = '%dashboard_context-must_not_clause%';
 
 // These values may appear in the  'url': { ... }  object
@@ -203,8 +204,22 @@ export class EsQueryParser {
         // For arrays, replace MUST_CLAUSE and MUST_NOT_CLAUSE string elements
         for (let pos = 0; pos < obj.length; ) {
           const item = obj[pos];
-          if (isQuery && (item === MUST_CLAUSE || item === MUST_NOT_CLAUSE)) {
-            const ctxTag = item === MUST_CLAUSE ? 'must' : 'must_not';
+          if (
+            isQuery &&
+            (item === FILTER_CLAUSE || item === MUST_CLAUSE || item === MUST_NOT_CLAUSE)
+          ) {
+            let ctxTag = '';
+            switch (item) {
+              case FILTER_CLAUSE:
+                ctxTag = 'filter';
+                break;
+              case MUST_CLAUSE:
+                ctxTag = 'must';
+                break;
+              case MUST_NOT_CLAUSE:
+                ctxTag = 'must_not';
+                break;
+            }
             const ctx = cloneDeep(this._filters);
             if (ctx && ctx.bool && ctx.bool[ctxTag]) {
               if (Array.isArray(ctx.bool[ctxTag])) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.test.js b/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.test.js
index fd474bef73b8..b04e221fc354 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.test.js
+++ b/src/plugins/vis_type_vega/public/data_model/es_query_parser.test.js
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@ const day = 24 * hour;
 
 const rangeStart = 10 * day;
 const rangeEnd = 12 * day;
-const ctxArr = { bool: { must: [{ match_all: { c: 3 } }], must_not: [{ d: 4 }] } };
-const ctxObj = { bool: { must: { match_all: { a: 1 } }, must_not: { b: 2 } } };
+const ctxArr = {
+  bool: { must: [{ match_all: { c: 3 } }], must_not: [{ d: 4 }], filter: [{ f: 6 }] },
+};
+const ctxObj = {
+  bool: { must: { match_all: { a: 1 } }, must_not: { b: 2 }, filter: { e: 6 } },
+};
 
 function create(min, max, dashboardCtx) {
   const inst = new EsQueryParser(
@@ -152,16 +156,34 @@ describe(`EsQueryParser.injectQueryContextVars`, () => {
   test(
     `mixed clause arr`,
     check(
-      { arr: [1, '%dashboard_context-must_clause%', 2, '%dashboard_context-must_not_clause%'] },
-      { arr: [1, ...ctxArr.bool.must, 2, ...ctxArr.bool.must_not] },
+      {
+        arr: [
+          1,
+          '%dashboard_context-must_clause%',
+          2,
+          '%dashboard_context-must_not_clause%',
+          3,
+          '%dashboard_context-filter_clause%',
+        ],
+      },
+      { arr: [1, ...ctxArr.bool.must, 2, ...ctxArr.bool.must_not, 3, ...ctxArr.bool.filter] },
       ctxArr
     )
   );
   test(
     `mixed clause obj`,
     check(
-      { arr: ['%dashboard_context-must_clause%', 1, '%dashboard_context-must_not_clause%', 2] },
-      { arr: [ctxObj.bool.must, 1, ctxObj.bool.must_not, 2] },
+      {
+        arr: [
+          '%dashboard_context-must_clause%',
+          1,
+          '%dashboard_context-must_not_clause%',
+          2,
+          '%dashboard_context-filter_clause%',
+          3,
+        ],
+      },
+      { arr: [ctxObj.bool.must, 1, ctxObj.bool.must_not, 2, ctxObj.bool.filter, 3] },
       ctxObj
     )
   );
@@ -229,6 +251,7 @@ describe(`EsQueryParser.parseEsRequest`, () => {
             },
           ],
           must_not: [{ d: 4 }],
+          filter: [{ f: 6 }],
         },
       },
     },