diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/__tests__/get_editor_type.js b/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/__tests__/get_editor_type.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..968a3cf3f44b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/__tests__/get_editor_type.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+
+var getEditorType = require('plugins/kibana/settings/sections/advanced/lib/get_editor_type');
+var expect = require('expect.js');
+
+describe('Settings', function () {
+  describe('Advanced', function () {
+    describe('getEditorType(conf)', function () {
+      context('when given type has a named editor', function () {
+        it('returns that named editor', function () {
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'json' })).to.equal('json');
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'array' })).to.equal('array');
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'boolean' })).to.equal('boolean');
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'select' })).to.equal('select');
+        });
+      });
+
+      context('when given a type of number, string, null, or undefined', function () {
+        it('returns "normal"', function () {
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'number' })).to.equal('normal');
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'string' })).to.equal('normal');
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'null' })).to.equal('normal');
+          expect(getEditorType({ type: 'undefined' })).to.equal('normal');
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/index.js b/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/index.js
index 4f3ec0f5a15e..9e604846e088 100644
--- a/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/index.js
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 define(function (require) {
   var _ = require('lodash');
   var getValType = require('plugins/kibana/settings/sections/advanced/lib/get_val_type');
+  var getEditorType = require('plugins/kibana/settings/sections/advanced/lib/get_editor_type');
 
 
   require('plugins/kibana/settings/sections/advanced/advanced_row');
@@ -21,13 +22,6 @@ define(function (require) {
         };
 
         var IMMUTABLE_CONFIG_VALS = ['buildNum'];
-        var NAMED_EDITORS = ['json', 'array', 'boolean', 'select'];
-        var NORMAL_EDITOR = ['number', 'string', 'null', 'undefined'];
-
-        function getEditorType(conf) {
-          if (_.contains(NAMED_EDITORS, conf.type)) return conf.type;
-          if (_.contains(NORMAL_EDITOR, conf.type)) return 'normal';
-        }
 
         function isTypeComplex(conf) {
           return !(conf.json || conf.array || conf.bool || conf.normal);
diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/lib/get_editor_type.js b/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/lib/get_editor_type.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..54ec1e240bbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana/public/settings/sections/advanced/lib/get_editor_type.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+define(function (require) {
+  var _ = require('lodash');
+
+  var NAMED_EDITORS = ['json', 'array', 'boolean', 'select'];
+  var NORMAL_EDITOR = ['number', 'string', 'null', 'undefined'];
+
+  /**
+   * @param {object} advanced setting configuration object
+   * @returns {string} the editor type to use when editing value
+   */
+  function getEditorType(conf) {
+    if (_.contains(NAMED_EDITORS, conf.type)) return conf.type;
+    if (_.contains(NORMAL_EDITOR, conf.type)) return 'normal';
+  }
+
+  return getEditorType;
+});