diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/beats/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/beats/index.js
index 8319485db1749..8839a30fc5a2e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/beats/index.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/beats/index.js
@@ -4,13 +4,15 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
+import { installIndexTemplate } from './server/lib/index_template';
 import { PLUGIN } from './common/constants';
 
 export function beats(kibana)  {
   return new kibana.Plugin({
     id: PLUGIN.ID,
     require: ['kibana', 'elasticsearch', 'xpack_main'],
-    init: function () {
+    init: async function (server) {
+      await installIndexTemplate(server);
     }
   });
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/client/call_with_internal_user_factory.js b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/client/call_with_internal_user_factory.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8b5dbed773430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/client/call_with_internal_user_factory.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { once } from 'lodash';
+
+const callWithInternalUser = once((server) => {
+  const { callWithInternalUser } = server.plugins.elasticsearch.getCluster('admin');
+  return callWithInternalUser;
+});
+
+export const callWithInternalUserFactory = (server) => {
+  return callWithInternalUser(server);
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/client/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/client/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..a56a50e2864a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/client/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+export { callWithInternalUserFactory } from './call_with_internal_user_factory';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/beats_template.json b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/beats_template.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6ef57b9c549ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/beats_template.json
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+{
+  "index_patterns": [
+    ".management-beats"
+  ],
+  "version": 65000,
+  "settings": {
+    "index": {
+      "number_of_shards": 1,
+      "auto_expand_replicas": "0-1",
+      "codec": "best_compression"
+    }
+  },
+  "mappings": {
+    "_doc": {
+      "dynamic": "strict",
+      "properties": {
+        "type": {
+          "type": "keyword"
+        },
+        "enrollment_token": {
+          "properties": {
+            "token": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "expires_on": {
+              "type": "date"
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "configuration_block": {
+          "properties": {
+            "tag": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "type": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "block_yml": {
+              "type": "text"
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "beat": {
+          "properties": {
+            "id": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "enrollment_token": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "access_token": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "verified_on": {
+              "type": "date"
+            },
+            "type": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "host_ip": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "host_name": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "ephemeral_id": {
+              "type": "keyword"
+            },
+            "local_configuration_yml": {
+              "type": "text"
+            },
+            "central_configuration_yml": {
+              "type": "text"
+            },
+            "metadata": {
+              "dynamic": "true",
+              "type": "object"
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..04128e46ff0ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+export { installIndexTemplate } from './install_index_template';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/install_index_template.js b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/install_index_template.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..01b080903ccac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/beats/server/lib/index_template/install_index_template.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import beatsIndexTemplate from './beats_template';
+import { callWithInternalUserFactory } from '../client';
+
+const TEMPLATE_NAME = 'beats-template';
+
+export function installIndexTemplate(server) {
+  const callWithInternalUser = callWithInternalUserFactory(server);
+  return callWithInternalUser('indices.putTemplate', {
+    name: TEMPLATE_NAME,
+    body: beatsIndexTemplate
+  });
+}