diff --git a/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/create_kibana_index.js b/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/create_kibana_index.js
index a79877b62eaa..8e2648b7dc0a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/create_kibana_index.js
+++ b/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/create_kibana_index.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ describe('plugins/elasticsearch', function () {
         });
       });
 
-      it('should be created with 1 shard and 1 replica', function () {
+      it('should be created with 1 shard and default replica', function () {
         var fn = createKibanaIndex(server);
         return fn.then(function () {
           var params = client.indices.create.args[0][0];
@@ -71,22 +71,7 @@ describe('plugins/elasticsearch', function () {
           expect(params.body.settings)
             .to.have.property('number_of_shards', 1);
           expect(params.body.settings)
-            .to.have.property('number_of_replicas', 1);
-        });
-      });
-
-      it('should be created with 1 shard and 1 replica', function () {
-        var fn = createKibanaIndex(server);
-        return fn.then(function () {
-          var params = client.indices.create.args[0][0];
-          expect(params)
-            .to.have.property('body');
-          expect(params.body)
-            .to.have.property('settings');
-          expect(params.body.settings)
-            .to.have.property('number_of_shards', 1);
-          expect(params.body.settings)
-            .to.have.property('number_of_replicas', 1);
+            .to.not.have.property('number_of_replicas');
         });
       });
 
@@ -137,4 +122,3 @@ describe('plugins/elasticsearch', function () {
 
   });
 });
-
diff --git a/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/routes.js b/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/routes.js
index 5c27598419e9..fee05fc6c39e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/routes.js
+++ b/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/__tests__/routes.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ describe('plugins/elasticsearch', function () {
     testRoute({
       method: 'POST',
       url: '/elasticsearch/.kibana',
-      payload: {settings: { number_of_shards: 1, number_of_replicas: 1 }},
+      payload: {settings: { number_of_shards: 1 }},
       statusCode: 200
     });
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/create_kibana_index.js b/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/create_kibana_index.js
index f8640f2fdc3e..d224afd3fb54 100644
--- a/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/create_kibana_index.js
+++ b/src/plugins/elasticsearch/lib/create_kibana_index.js
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ module.exports = function (server) {
     index: index,
     body: {
       settings: {
-        number_of_shards: 1,
-        number_of_replicas: 1
+        number_of_shards: 1
       },
       mappings: {
         config: {
diff --git a/test/fixtures/scenarios/emptyKibana/kibanaDefinition.js b/test/fixtures/scenarios/emptyKibana/kibanaDefinition.js
index 8fd065772675..699190ad981c 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/scenarios/emptyKibana/kibanaDefinition.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/scenarios/emptyKibana/kibanaDefinition.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 module.exports = {
   settings: {
-    number_of_shards: 1,
-    number_of_replicas: 1
+    number_of_shards: 1
   },
   mappings: {
     config: {