diff --git a/src/plugins/kibana/server/lib/schemas/resources/index_pattern_schema.js b/src/plugins/kibana/server/lib/schemas/resources/index_pattern_schema.js
index e8afd0025ed2..b31df1fa158e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/kibana/server/lib/schemas/resources/index_pattern_schema.js
+++ b/src/plugins/kibana/server/lib/schemas/resources/index_pattern_schema.js
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@ module.exports = Joi.object({
       script: Joi.string(),
       lang: Joi.string()
     })
-  ).required(),
+  ).required().min(1),
   field_format_map: Joi.object()
 });
diff --git a/test/unit/api/ingest/_post.js b/test/unit/api/ingest/_post.js
index 8a247e8002be..d2e986ca176a 100644
--- a/test/unit/api/ingest/_post.js
+++ b/test/unit/api/ingest/_post.js
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ define(function (require) {
             .send(_.set(createTestData(), 'fields', {}))
             .expect(400),
 
+          request.post('/kibana/ingest')
+            .send(_.set(createTestData(), 'fields', []))
+            .expect(400),
+
           // Fields must have a name and type
           request.post('/kibana/ingest')
             .send(_.set(createTestData(), 'fields', [{count: 0}]))