diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1a4bc7170df..28797bffef2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 - Added `utcOffset` prop to `EuiSuperDatePicker` ([#3436](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3436))
 - Added `partition` key to `EuiChartThemeType` for Partition chart support ([#3387](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3387))
 - Updated `EuiImage`'s `caption` prop type from `string` to `ReactNode` ([#3387](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3387))
+- Fixed `EuiCodeEditor` console error when using the editor without import the default theme ([#3454](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3454))
 
 **Bug Fixes**
 
diff --git a/src/components/code_editor/__snapshots__/code_editor.test.tsx.snap b/src/components/code_editor/__snapshots__/code_editor.test.tsx.snap
index a2b499f3552..bb4c16c2d92 100644
--- a/src/components/code_editor/__snapshots__/code_editor.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/src/components/code_editor/__snapshots__/code_editor.test.tsx.snap
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ exports[`EuiCodeEditor is rendered 1`] = `
     </p>
   </div>
   <div
-    class=" ace_editor ace-github testClass1 testClass2"
+    class=" ace_editor ace-tm testClass1 testClass2"
     id="htmlId"
     style="width: 500px; height: 500px;"
   >
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ exports[`EuiCodeEditor props aria attributes allows setting aria-describedby on
     </p>
   </div>
   <div
-    class=" ace_editor ace-github"
+    class=" ace_editor ace-tm"
     id="htmlId"
     style="width: 500px; height: 500px;"
   >
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ exports[`EuiCodeEditor props aria attributes allows setting aria-labelledby on t
     </p>
   </div>
   <div
-    class=" ace_editor ace-github"
+    class=" ace_editor ace-tm"
     id="htmlId"
     style="width: 500px; height: 500px;"
   >
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ exports[`EuiCodeEditor props isReadOnly renders alternate hint text 1`] = `
     </p>
   </div>
   <div
-    class=" ace_editor ace-github"
+    class=" ace_editor ace-tm"
     id="htmlId"
     style="width: 500px; height: 500px;"
   >
diff --git a/src/components/code_editor/code_editor.tsx b/src/components/code_editor/code_editor.tsx
index 1d25c9e8cc8..fb3da63061e 100644
--- a/src/components/code_editor/code_editor.tsx
+++ b/src/components/code_editor/code_editor.tsx
@@ -25,10 +25,8 @@ import { keysOf } from '../common';
 import { htmlIdGenerator, keyCodes } from '../../services';
 import { EuiI18n } from '../i18n';
 
-import 'brace/theme/github';
-
 const DEFAULT_MODE = 'text';
-const DEFAULT_THEME = 'github';
+const DEFAULT_THEME = 'textmate';
 
 function setOrRemoveAttribute(
   element: HTMLTextAreaElement,