diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/openapi/spec_oas3.json b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/openapi/spec_oas3.json
index ea61d97145795..d17b4115e64ab 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/openapi/spec_oas3.json
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/openapi/spec_oas3.json
@@ -1712,6 +1712,198 @@
                       },
                       "success": true
                     }
+                  },
+                  "required-package": {
+                    "value": {
+                      "response": {
+                        "format_version": "1.0.0",
+                        "name": "endpoint",
+                        "title": "Elastic Endpoint",
+                        "version": "0.3.0",
+                        "readme": "/package/endpoint/0.3.0/docs/README.md",
+                        "license": "basic",
+                        "description": "This is the Elastic Endpoint package.",
+                        "type": "solution",
+                        "categories": [
+                          "security"
+                        ],
+                        "release": "beta",
+                        "requirement": {
+                          "kibana": {
+                            "versions": ">7.4.0"
+                          }
+                        },
+                        "icons": [
+                          {
+                            "src": "/package/endpoint/0.3.0/img/logo-endpoint-64-color.svg",
+                            "size": "16x16",
+                            "type": "image/svg+xml"
+                          }
+                        ],
+                        "assets": {
+                          "kibana": {
+                            "dashboard": [
+                              {
+                                "pkgkey": "endpoint-0.3.0",
+                                "service": "kibana",
+                                "type": "dashboard",
+                                "file": "826759f0-7074-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json",
+                                "path": "endpoint-0.3.0/kibana/dashboard/826759f0-7074-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json"
+                              }
+                            ],
+                            "map": [
+                              {
+                                "pkgkey": "endpoint-0.3.0",
+                                "service": "kibana",
+                                "type": "map",
+                                "file": "a3a3bd10-706b-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json",
+                                "path": "endpoint-0.3.0/kibana/map/a3a3bd10-706b-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json"
+                              }
+                            ],
+                            "visualization": [
+                              {
+                                "pkgkey": "endpoint-0.3.0",
+                                "service": "kibana",
+                                "type": "visualization",
+                                "file": "1cfceda0-728b-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json",
+                                "path": "endpoint-0.3.0/kibana/visualization/1cfceda0-728b-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "pkgkey": "endpoint-0.3.0",
+                                "service": "kibana",
+                                "type": "visualization",
+                                "file": "1e525190-7074-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json",
+                                "path": "endpoint-0.3.0/kibana/visualization/1e525190-7074-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "pkgkey": "endpoint-0.3.0",
+                                "service": "kibana",
+                                "type": "visualization",
+                                "file": "55387750-729c-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json",
+                                "path": "endpoint-0.3.0/kibana/visualization/55387750-729c-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "pkgkey": "endpoint-0.3.0",
+                                "service": "kibana",
+                                "type": "visualization",
+                                "file": "92b1edc0-706a-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json",
+                                "path": "endpoint-0.3.0/kibana/visualization/92b1edc0-706a-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16.json"
+                              }
+                            ]
+                          }
+                        },
+                        "datasets": [
+                          {
+                            "id": "endpoint",
+                            "title": "Endpoint Events",
+                            "release": "experimental",
+                            "type": "events",
+                            "package": "endpoint",
+                            "path": "events"
+                          },
+                          {
+                            "id": "endpoint.metadata",
+                            "title": "Endpoint Metadata",
+                            "release": "experimental",
+                            "type": "metrics",
+                            "package": "endpoint",
+                            "path": "metadata"
+                          },
+                          {
+                            "id": "endpoint.policy",
+                            "title": "Endpoint Policy Response",
+                            "release": "experimental",
+                            "type": "metrics",
+                            "package": "endpoint",
+                            "path": "policy"
+                          },
+                          {
+                            "id": "endpoint.telemetry",
+                            "title": "Endpoint Telemetry",
+                            "release": "experimental",
+                            "type": "metrics",
+                            "package": "endpoint",
+                            "path": "telemetry"
+                          }
+                        ],
+                        "datasources": [
+                          {
+                            "name": "endpoint",
+                            "title": "Endpoint data source",
+                            "description": "Interact with the endpoint.",
+                            "inputs": null,
+                            "multiple": false
+                          }
+                        ],
+                        "download": "/epr/endpoint/endpoint-0.3.0.tar.gz",
+                        "path": "/package/endpoint/0.3.0",
+                        "latestVersion": "0.3.0",
+                        "removable": false,
+                        "status": "installed",
+                        "savedObject": {
+                          "id": "endpoint",
+                          "type": "epm-packages",
+                          "updated_at": "2020-06-23T21:44:59.319Z",
+                          "version": "Wzk4LDFd",
+                          "attributes": {
+                            "installed": [
+                              {
+                                "id": "826759f0-7074-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16",
+                                "type": "dashboard"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "1cfceda0-728b-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16",
+                                "type": "visualization"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "1e525190-7074-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16",
+                                "type": "visualization"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "55387750-729c-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16",
+                                "type": "visualization"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "92b1edc0-706a-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16",
+                                "type": "visualization"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "a3a3bd10-706b-11ea-9bc8-6b38f4d29a16",
+                                "type": "map"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "events-endpoint",
+                                "type": "index-template"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "metrics-endpoint.metadata",
+                                "type": "index-template"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "metrics-endpoint.policy",
+                                "type": "index-template"
+                              },
+                              {
+                                "id": "metrics-endpoint.telemetry",
+                                "type": "index-template"
+                              }
+                            ],
+                            "es_index_patterns": {
+                              "events": "events-endpoint-*",
+                              "metadata": "metrics-endpoint.metadata-*",
+                              "policy": "metrics-endpoint.policy-*",
+                              "telemetry": "metrics-endpoint.telemetry-*"
+                            },
+                            "name": "endpoint",
+                            "version": "0.3.0",
+                            "internal": false,
+                            "removable": false
+                          },
+                          "references": []
+                        }
+                      },
+                      "success": true
+                    }
                   }
                 }
               }
@@ -3822,6 +4014,9 @@
           },
           "path": {
             "type": "string"
+          },
+          "removable": {
+            "type": "boolean"
           }
         },
         "required": [
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
index cc9e23dc9388f..599165d2bfd98 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ export interface RegistryPackage {
   icons?: RegistryImage[];
   assets?: string[];
   internal?: boolean;
-  removable?: boolean;
   format_version: string;
   datasets?: Dataset[];
   datasources?: RegistryDatasource[];
@@ -206,6 +205,7 @@ interface PackageAdditions {
   title: string;
   latestVersion: string;
   assets: AssetsGroupedByServiceByType;
+  removable?: boolean;
 }
 
 // Managers public HTTP response types
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/get.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/get.ts
index 7d5e6d6e88387..a261eec899d7c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/get.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/get.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { SavedObjectsClientContract } from 'src/core/server';
 import { PACKAGES_SAVED_OBJECT_TYPE } from '../../../constants';
 import { Installation, InstallationStatus, PackageInfo, KibanaAssetType } from '../../../types';
 import * as Registry from '../registry';
-import { createInstallableFrom } from './index';
+import { createInstallableFrom, isRequiredPackage } from './index';
 
 export { fetchFile as getFile, SearchParams } from '../registry';
 
@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@ export async function getPackageInfo(options: {
     getInstallationObject({ savedObjectsClient, pkgName }),
     Registry.fetchFindLatestPackage(pkgName),
     Registry.getArchiveInfo(pkgName, pkgVersion),
-  ] as const);
-  // adding `as const` due to regression in TS 3.7.2
-  // see https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/34925#issuecomment-550021453
-  // and https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/pull/33707#issuecomment-550718523
+  ]);
 
   // add properties that aren't (or aren't yet) on Registry response
   const updated = {
@@ -90,6 +87,7 @@ export async function getPackageInfo(options: {
     latestVersion: latestPackage.version,
     title: item.title || nameAsTitle(item.name),
     assets: Registry.groupPathsByService(assets || []),
+    removable: !isRequiredPackage(pkgName),
   };
   return createInstallableFrom(updated, savedObject);
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/index.ts
index d49e0e661440f..b79f9178ad6af 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/index.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,16 @@ export {
 export { installKibanaAssets, installPackage, ensureInstalledPackage } from './install';
 export { removeInstallation } from './remove';
 
+type RequiredPackage = 'system' | 'endpoint';
+const requiredPackages: Record<RequiredPackage, boolean> = {
+  system: true,
+  endpoint: true,
+};
+
+export function isRequiredPackage(value: string): value is RequiredPackage {
+  return value in requiredPackages;
+}
+
 export class PackageNotInstalledError extends Error {
   constructor(pkgkey: string) {
     super(`${pkgkey} is not installed`);
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/install.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/install.ts
index 736711f9152e9..910283549abdf 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/install.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/packages/install.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import {
 import { installIndexPatterns } from '../kibana/index_pattern/install';
 import * as Registry from '../registry';
 import { getObject } from './get_objects';
-import { getInstallation, getInstallationObject } from './index';
+import { getInstallation, getInstallationObject, isRequiredPackage } from './index';
 import { installTemplates } from '../elasticsearch/template/install';
 import { generateESIndexPatterns } from '../elasticsearch/template/template';
 import { installPipelines } from '../elasticsearch/ingest_pipeline/install';
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ export async function installPackage(options: {
     throw Boom.badRequest('Cannot install or update to an out-of-date package');
 
   const reinstall = pkgVersion === installedPkg?.attributes.version;
-  const { internal = false, removable = true } = registryPackageInfo;
+  const removable = !isRequiredPackage(pkgName);
+  const { internal = false } = registryPackageInfo;
 
   // delete the previous version's installation's SO kibana assets before installing new ones
   // in case some assets were removed in the new version