diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/app/home/global_header/index.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/app/home/global_header/index.test.tsx
index cfcf5307de8d4..2d6ca63c82bdb 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/app/home/global_header/index.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/app/home/global_header/index.test.tsx
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ jest.mock('../../../common/containers/source', () => ({
   useFetchIndex: () => [false, { indicesExist: true, indexPatterns: mockIndexPattern }],
 }));
 
+jest.mock('../../../common/containers/sourcerer/use_signal_helpers', () => ({
+  useSignalHelpers: () => ({ signalIndexNeedsInit: false }),
+}));
+
 jest.mock('react-reverse-portal', () => ({
   InPortal: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
   OutPortal: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.test.tsx
index 7d3dc9641929a..f4707272d2c24 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.test.tsx
@@ -21,10 +21,12 @@ import { createStore } from '../../store';
 import { EuiSuperSelectOption } from '@elastic/eui/src/components/form/super_select/super_select_control';
 import { waitFor } from '@testing-library/dom';
 import { useSourcererDataView } from '../../containers/sourcerer';
+import { useSignalHelpers } from '../../containers/sourcerer/use_signal_helpers';
 
 const mockDispatch = jest.fn();
 
 jest.mock('../../containers/sourcerer');
+jest.mock('../../containers/sourcerer/use_signal_helpers');
 const mockUseUpdateDataView = jest.fn().mockReturnValue(() => true);
 jest.mock('./use_update_data_view', () => ({
   useUpdateDataView: () => mockUseUpdateDataView,
@@ -81,10 +83,12 @@ const sourcererDataView = {
 
 describe('Sourcerer component', () => {
   const { storage } = createSecuritySolutionStorageMock();
-
+  const pollForSignalIndexMock = jest.fn();
   beforeEach(() => {
     store = createStore(mockGlobalState, SUB_PLUGINS_REDUCER, kibanaObservable, storage);
     (useSourcererDataView as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(sourcererDataView);
+    (useSignalHelpers as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({ signalIndexNeedsInit: false });
+
     jest.clearAllMocks();
   });
 
@@ -570,6 +574,63 @@ describe('Sourcerer component', () => {
         .exists()
     ).toBeFalsy();
   });
+
+  it('does not poll for signals index if pollForSignalIndex is not defined', () => {
+    (useSignalHelpers as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      signalIndexNeedsInit: false,
+    });
+
+    mount(
+      <TestProviders store={store}>
+        <Sourcerer scope={sourcererModel.SourcererScopeName.timeline} />
+      </TestProviders>
+    );
+
+    expect(pollForSignalIndexMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+  });
+
+  it('does not poll for signals index if it does not exist and scope is default', () => {
+    (useSignalHelpers as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      pollForSignalIndex: pollForSignalIndexMock,
+      signalIndexNeedsInit: false,
+    });
+
+    mount(
+      <TestProviders store={store}>
+        <Sourcerer scope={sourcererModel.SourcererScopeName.default} />
+      </TestProviders>
+    );
+
+    expect(pollForSignalIndexMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+  });
+
+  it('polls for signals index if it does not exist and scope is timeline', () => {
+    (useSignalHelpers as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      pollForSignalIndex: pollForSignalIndexMock,
+      signalIndexNeedsInit: false,
+    });
+
+    mount(
+      <TestProviders store={store}>
+        <Sourcerer scope={sourcererModel.SourcererScopeName.timeline} />
+      </TestProviders>
+    );
+    expect(pollForSignalIndexMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('polls for signals index if it does not exist and scope is detections', () => {
+    (useSignalHelpers as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      pollForSignalIndex: pollForSignalIndexMock,
+      signalIndexNeedsInit: false,
+    });
+
+    mount(
+      <TestProviders store={store}>
+        <Sourcerer scope={sourcererModel.SourcererScopeName.detections} />
+      </TestProviders>
+    );
+    expect(pollForSignalIndexMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
 });
 
 describe('sourcerer on alerts page or rules details page', () => {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.tsx
index 924601758c730..ad3b11a74e81d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/common/components/sourcerer/index.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { useSourcererDataView } from '../../containers/sourcerer';
 import { useUpdateDataView } from './use_update_data_view';
 import { Trigger } from './trigger';
 import { AlertsCheckbox, SaveButtons, SourcererCallout } from './sub_components';
+import { useSignalHelpers } from '../../containers/sourcerer/use_signal_helpers';
 
 export interface SourcererComponentProps {
   scope: sourcererModel.SourcererScopeName;
@@ -50,6 +51,14 @@ export const Sourcerer = React.memo<SourcererComponentProps>(({ scope: scopeId }
     },
   } = useDeepEqualSelector((state) => sourcererScopeSelector(state, scopeId));
 
+  const { pollForSignalIndex } = useSignalHelpers();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (pollForSignalIndex != null && (isTimelineSourcerer || isDetectionsSourcerer)) {
+      pollForSignalIndex();
+    }
+  }, [isDetectionsSourcerer, isTimelineSourcerer, pollForSignalIndex]);
+
   const { activePatterns, indicesExist, loading } = useSourcererDataView(scopeId);
   const [missingPatterns, setMissingPatterns] = useState<string[]>(
     activePatterns && activePatterns.length > 0
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/eql_tab_content/index.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/eql_tab_content/index.test.tsx
index 0096b152b3236..dba9f99681a0c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/eql_tab_content/index.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/eql_tab_content/index.test.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ jest.mock('../body/events/index', () => ({
 }));
 
 jest.mock('../../../../common/containers/sourcerer');
+jest.mock('../../../../common/containers/sourcerer/use_signal_helpers', () => ({
+  useSignalHelpers: () => ({ signalIndexNeedsInit: false }),
+}));
 
 const mockUseResizeObserver: jest.Mock = useResizeObserver as jest.Mock;
 jest.mock('use-resize-observer/polyfilled');
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/query_tab_content/index.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/query_tab_content/index.test.tsx
index d1741c399dbab..a32e77a107a43 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/query_tab_content/index.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/timelines/components/timeline/query_tab_content/index.test.tsx
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ jest.mock('../body/events/index', () => ({
 }));
 
 jest.mock('../../../../common/containers/sourcerer');
+jest.mock('../../../../common/containers/sourcerer/use_signal_helpers', () => ({
+  useSignalHelpers: () => ({ signalIndexNeedsInit: false }),
+}));
 
 const mockUseResizeObserver: jest.Mock = useResizeObserver as jest.Mock;
 jest.mock('use-resize-observer/polyfilled');