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 3ae0628fa695d2..f45924c30faadc 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ export interface IndexTemplate {
   index_patterns: string[];
   template: {
     settings: any;
-    mappings: object;
+    mappings: any;
     aliases: object;
   };
   data_stream: {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/elasticsearch/template/template.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/elasticsearch/template/template.ts
index b7760a9032aca8..9e8f327d520e3b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/elasticsearch/template/template.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/server/services/epm/elasticsearch/template/template.ts
@@ -330,11 +330,15 @@ const getIndices = async (
   template: TemplateRef
 ): Promise<CurrentIndex[] | undefined> => {
   const { templateName, indexTemplate } = template;
-  const res = await callCluster('search', getIndexQuery(templateName));
-  const indices: any[] = res?.aggregations?.index.buckets;
-  if (indices) {
-    return indices.map((index) => ({
-      indexName: index.key,
+  // Until ES provides a way to update mappings of a data stream
+  // get the last index of the data stream, which is the current write index
+  const res = await callCluster('transport.request', {
+    method: 'GET',
+    path: `/_data_stream/${templateName}-*`,
+  });
+  if (res.length) {
+    return res.map((datastream: any) => ({
+      indexName: datastream.indices[datastream.indices.length - 1].index_name,
       indexTemplate,
     }));
   }
@@ -359,18 +363,40 @@ const updateExistingIndex = async ({
   indexTemplate: IndexTemplate;
 }) => {
   const { settings, mappings } = indexTemplate.template;
+
+  // for now, remove from object so as not to update stream or dataset properties of the index until type and name
+  // are added in https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/66551.  namespace value we will continue
+  // to skip updating and assume the value in the index mapping is correct
+  delete mappings.properties.stream;
+  delete mappings.properties.dataset;
+
+  // get the dataset values from the index template to compose data stream name
+  const indexMappings = await getIndexMappings(indexName, callCluster);
+  const dataset = indexMappings[indexName].mappings.properties.dataset.properties;
+  if (!dataset.type.value || !dataset.name.value || !dataset.namespace.value)
+    throw new Error(`dataset values are missing from the index template ${indexName}`);
+  const dataStreamName = `${dataset.type.value}-${dataset.name.value}-${dataset.namespace.value}`;
+
   // try to update the mappings first
-  // for now we assume updates are compatible
   try {
     await callCluster('indices.putMapping', {
       index: indexName,
       body: mappings,
     });
+    // if update fails, rollover data stream
   } catch (err) {
-    throw new Error('incompatible mappings update');
+    try {
+      const path = `/${dataStreamName}/_rollover`;
+      await callCluster('transport.request', {
+        method: 'POST',
+        path,
+      });
+    } catch (error) {
+      throw new Error(`cannot rollover data stream ${dataStreamName}`);
+    }
   }
   // update settings after mappings was successful to ensure
-  // pointing to theme new pipeline is safe
+  // pointing to the new pipeline is safe
   // for now, only update the pipeline
   if (!settings.index.default_pipeline) return;
   try {
@@ -379,36 +405,17 @@ const updateExistingIndex = async ({
       body: { index: { default_pipeline: settings.index.default_pipeline } },
     });
   } catch (err) {
-    throw new Error('incompatible settings update');
+    throw new Error(`could not update index template settings for ${indexName}`);
   }
 };
 
-const getIndexQuery = (templateName: string) => ({
-  index: `${templateName}-*`,
-  size: 0,
-  body: {
-    query: {
-      bool: {
-        must: [
-          {
-            exists: {
-              field: 'dataset.namespace',
-            },
-          },
-          {
-            exists: {
-              field: 'dataset.name',
-            },
-          },
-        ],
-      },
-    },
-    aggs: {
-      index: {
-        terms: {
-          field: '_index',
-        },
-      },
-    },
-  },
-});
+const getIndexMappings = async (indexName: string, callCluster: CallESAsCurrentUser) => {
+  try {
+    const indexMappings = await callCluster('indices.getMapping', {
+      index: indexName,
+    });
+    return indexMappings;
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw new Error(`could not get mapping from ${indexName}`);
+  }
+};