diff --git a/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.test.ts b/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9a452e982430d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+ * 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 and the Server Side Public License, v 1; you may not use this file except
+ * in compliance with, at your election, the Elastic License 2.0 or the Server
+ * Side Public License, v 1.
+ */
+
+import { ElasticsearchClient } from '@kbn/core/server';
+
+import { errors } from '@elastic/elasticsearch';
+
+import { updateConnectorServiceType } from './update_connector_service_type';
+
+describe('updateConnectorServiceType lib function', () => {
+  const mockClient = {
+    transport: {
+      request: jest.fn(),
+    },
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('should update connector service type', async () => {
+    mockClient.transport.request.mockImplementation(() => ({ result: 'updated' }));
+
+    const connectorId = 'connectorId';
+    const serviceType = 'new-service-type';
+
+    const result = await updateConnectorServiceType(
+      mockClient as unknown as ElasticsearchClient,
+      connectorId,
+      serviceType
+    );
+    expect(result).toEqual({ result: 'updated' });
+
+    expect(mockClient.transport.request).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      path: `/_connector/${connectorId}/_configuration`,
+      body: {
+        configuration: {},
+      },
+    });
+    expect(mockClient.transport.request).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      path: `/_connector/${connectorId}/_service_type`,
+      body: {
+        service_type: serviceType,
+      },
+    });
+    expect(mockClient.transport.request).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it('should not index document if there is no connector', async () => {
+    mockClient.transport.request.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+      return Promise.reject(
+        new errors.ResponseError({
+          statusCode: 404,
+          body: {
+            error: {
+              type: `document_missing_exception`,
+            },
+          },
+        } as any)
+      );
+    });
+    await expect(
+      updateConnectorServiceType(
+        mockClient as unknown as ElasticsearchClient,
+        'connectorId',
+        'new-service-type'
+      )
+    ).rejects.toEqual(
+      new errors.ResponseError({
+        statusCode: 404,
+        body: {
+          error: {
+            type: `document_missing_exception`,
+          },
+        },
+      } as any)
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.ts b/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.ts
index 3040918a75b95..70d1105e69c3c 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-search-connectors/lib/update_connector_service_type.ts
@@ -6,42 +6,29 @@
  * Side Public License, v 1.
  */
 
+import { Result } from '@elastic/elasticsearch/lib/api/types';
 import { ElasticsearchClient } from '@kbn/core/server';
-import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
-
-import { CONNECTORS_INDEX, fetchConnectorById } from '..';
-
-import { ConnectorDocument, ConnectorStatus } from '../types/connectors';
 
 export const updateConnectorServiceType = async (
   client: ElasticsearchClient,
   connectorId: string,
   serviceType: string
 ) => {
-  const connectorResult = await fetchConnectorById(client, connectorId);
-
-  if (connectorResult?.value) {
-    const result = await client.index<ConnectorDocument>({
-      document: {
-        ...connectorResult.value,
-        configuration: {},
-        service_type: serviceType,
-        status:
-          connectorResult.value.status === ConnectorStatus.CREATED
-            ? ConnectorStatus.CREATED
-            : ConnectorStatus.NEEDS_CONFIGURATION,
-      },
-      id: connectorId,
-      index: CONNECTORS_INDEX,
-      if_seq_no: connectorResult.seqNo,
-      if_primary_term: connectorResult.primaryTerm,
-    });
-    return result;
-  } else {
-    throw new Error(
-      i18n.translate('searchConnectors.server.connectors.serviceType.error', {
-        defaultMessage: 'Could not find document',
-      })
-    );
-  }
+  // First clear connector configuration
+  await client.transport.request<Result>({
+    method: 'PUT',
+    path: `/_connector/${connectorId}/_configuration`,
+    body: {
+      configuration: {},
+    },
+  });
+  // Then update service type, on startup connector framework
+  // will populate missing config fields
+  return await client.transport.request<Result>({
+    method: 'PUT',
+    path: `/_connector/${connectorId}/_service_type`,
+    body: {
+      service_type: serviceType,
+    },
+  });
 };