diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/config.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/config.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4c66c718d1b2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/config.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+jest.mock('crypto', () => ({
+  randomBytes: jest.fn(),
+  constants: jest.requireActual('crypto').constants,
+}));
+
+jest.mock('@kbn/utils', () => ({
+  getLogsPath: () => '/mock/kibana/logs/path',
+}));
+
+import { ConfigSchema } from './config';
+
+describe('config schema', () => {
+  it('generates proper defaults', () => {
+    expect(ConfigSchema.validate({})).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Object {
+        "enabled": true,
+      }
+    `);
+
+    expect(ConfigSchema.validate({}, { dev: false })).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Object {
+        "enabled": true,
+      }
+    `);
+
+    expect(ConfigSchema.validate({}, { dev: true })).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Object {
+        "enabled": true,
+      }
+    `);
+  });
+
+  it('should throw error if spaces is disabled', () => {
+    expect(() => ConfigSchema.validate({ enabled: false })).toThrow(
+      '[enabled]: Canvas can only be disabled in development mode'
+    );
+
+    expect(() => ConfigSchema.validate({ enabled: false }, { dev: false })).toThrow(
+      '[enabled]: Canvas can only be disabled in development mode'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should not throw error if spaces is disabled in development mode', () => {
+    expect(() => ConfigSchema.validate({ enabled: false }, { dev: true })).not.toThrow();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/config.ts b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6cbcff6930d88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+import { schema } from '@kbn/config-schema';
+
+export const ConfigSchema = schema.object({
+  enabled: schema.conditional(
+    schema.contextRef('dev'),
+    true,
+    schema.boolean({ defaultValue: true }),
+    schema.boolean({
+      validate: (rawValue) => {
+        if (rawValue === false) {
+          return 'Canvas can only be disabled in development mode';
+        }
+      },
+      defaultValue: true,
+    })
+  ),
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/index.ts
index d6d375b7259ac..74c5810481e00 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/index.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,13 @@
  * 2.0.
  */
 
-import { PluginInitializerContext } from '@kbn/core/server';
+import { PluginConfigDescriptor, PluginInitializerContext } from '@kbn/core/server';
 import { CanvasPlugin } from './plugin';
+import { ConfigSchema } from './config';
+
+export const config: PluginConfigDescriptor = {
+  schema: ConfigSchema,
+};
 
 export const plugin = (initializerContext: PluginInitializerContext) =>
   new CanvasPlugin(initializerContext);
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/plugin.ts
index 3fcea2b5694c5..ec5cb4969be19 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/server/plugin.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ interface PluginsStart {
 
 export class CanvasPlugin implements Plugin {
   private readonly logger: Logger;
+
   constructor(public readonly initializerContext: PluginInitializerContext) {
     this.logger = initializerContext.logger.get();
   }