diff --git a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/management/sections/indices/_create.js b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/management/sections/indices/_create.js
index cb98e8682457..c0c00806f2bc 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/management/sections/indices/_create.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/management/sections/indices/_create.js
@@ -43,7 +43,14 @@ uiModules.get('apps/management')
   };
 
   $scope.refreshFieldList = function () {
-    fetchFieldList().then(updateFieldList);
+    const timeField = index.timeField;
+    fetchFieldList().then(function (results) {
+      if (timeField) {
+        updateFieldListAndSetTimeField(results, timeField.name);
+      } else {
+        updateFieldList(results);
+      }
+    });
   };
 
   $scope.createIndexPattern = function () {
@@ -247,6 +254,22 @@ uiModules.get('apps/management')
     }, notify.fatal);
   }
 
+  function updateFieldListAndSetTimeField(results, timeFieldName) {
+    updateFieldList(results);
+
+    if (!results.dateFields.length) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const matchingTimeField = results.dateFields.find(field => field.name === timeFieldName);
+    const defaultTimeField = results.dateFields[0];
+
+    //assign the field from the results-list
+    //angular recreates a new timefield instance, each time the list is refreshed.
+    //This ensures the selected field matches one of the instances in the list.
+    index.timeField = matchingTimeField ? matchingTimeField : defaultTimeField;
+  }
+
   function updateFieldList(results) {
     index.fetchFieldsError = results.fetchFieldsError;
     index.dateFields = results.dateFields;