diff --git a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go
index 421e9a2d723..68b414ee4a3 100644
--- a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go
+++ b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ func (client *Client) publishEvents(
 	}
 
 	origCount := len(data)
-	data = bulkEncodePublishRequest(body, client.index, client.pipeline, eventType, data)
+	data = bulkEncodePublishRequest(client.GetVersion(), body, client.index, client.pipeline, eventType, data)
 	newCount := len(data)
 	if st != nil && origCount > newCount {
 		st.Dropped(origCount - newCount)
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ func (client *Client) publishEvents(
 // fillBulkRequest encodes all bulk requests and returns slice of events
 // successfully added to bulk request.
 func bulkEncodePublishRequest(
+	version common.Version,
 	body bulkWriter,
 	index outputs.IndexSelector,
 	pipeline *outil.Selector,
@@ -393,7 +394,7 @@ func bulkEncodePublishRequest(
 	okEvents := data[:0]
 	for i := range data {
 		event := &data[i].Content
-		meta, err := createEventBulkMeta(index, pipeline, eventType, event)
+		meta, err := createEventBulkMeta(version, index, pipeline, eventType, event)
 		if err != nil {
 			logp.Err("Failed to encode event meta data: %s", err)
 			continue
@@ -409,6 +410,7 @@ func bulkEncodePublishRequest(
 }
 
 func createEventBulkMeta(
+	version common.Version,
 	indexSel outputs.IndexSelector,
 	pipelineSel *outil.Selector,
 	eventType string,
@@ -444,7 +446,7 @@ func createEventBulkMeta(
 		ID:       id,
 	}
 
-	if id != "" {
+	if id != "" || version.Major > 7 || (version.Major == 7 && version.Minor >= 5) {
 		return bulkCreateAction{meta}, nil
 	}
 	return bulkIndexAction{meta}, nil
diff --git a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go
index 27825c65353..098753cbc23 100644
--- a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func TestBulkEncodeEvents(t *testing.T) {
 
 			recorder := &testBulkRecorder{}
 
-			encoded := bulkEncodePublishRequest(recorder, index, pipeline, test.docType, events)
+			encoded := bulkEncodePublishRequest(common.Version{Major: 7, Minor: 5}, recorder, index, pipeline, test.docType, events)
 			assert.Equal(t, len(events), len(encoded), "all events should have been encoded")
 			assert.False(t, recorder.inAction, "incomplete bulk")