diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.test.ts
index 41285c2bfa133..ddd5491b661bc 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.test.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ describe('Reporting Config Schema', () => {
         .encryptionKey
     ).toBe('qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq');
 
+    expect(ConfigSchema.validate({ encryptionKey: 'weaksauce' }).encryptionKey).toBe('weaksauce');
+
     // disableSandbox
     expect(
       ConfigSchema.validate({ capture: { browser: { chromium: { disableSandbox: true } } } })
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.ts b/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.ts
index b1234a6ddf0b6..2f77aff0020d5 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/reporting/server/config/schema.ts
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ const CsvSchema = schema.object({
 const EncryptionKeySchema = schema.conditional(
   schema.contextRef('dist'),
   true,
-  schema.maybe(schema.string({ minLength: 32 })), // default value is dynamic in createConfig$
-  schema.string({ minLength: 32, defaultValue: 'a'.repeat(32) })
+  schema.maybe(schema.string()), // default value is dynamic in createConfig$
+  schema.string({ defaultValue: 'a'.repeat(32) })
 );
 
 const RolesSchema = schema.object({