diff --git a/docs/development/plugins/data/server/kibana-plugin-plugins-data-server.plugin.setup.md b/docs/development/plugins/data/server/kibana-plugin-plugins-data-server.plugin.setup.md
index 18fca3d2c8a669..139c5794f01467 100644
--- a/docs/development/plugins/data/server/kibana-plugin-plugins-data-server.plugin.setup.md
+++ b/docs/development/plugins/data/server/kibana-plugin-plugins-data-server.plugin.setup.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 ```typescript
 setup(core: CoreSetup<DataPluginStartDependencies, DataPluginStart>, { expressions, usageCollection }: DataPluginSetupDependencies): {
+        __enhance: (enhancements: DataEnhancements) => void;
         search: ISearchSetup;
         fieldFormats: {
             register: (customFieldFormat: import("../public").FieldFormatInstanceType) => number;
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ setup(core: CoreSetup<DataPluginStartDependencies, DataPluginStart>, { expressio
 <b>Returns:</b>
 
 `{
+        __enhance: (enhancements: DataEnhancements) => void;
         search: ISearchSetup;
         fieldFormats: {
             register: (customFieldFormat: import("../public").FieldFormatInstanceType) => number;
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/search/index.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/search/index.ts
index 557ab64079d16f..d8184551b7f3d9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/search/index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/search/index.ts
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ export * from './expressions';
 export * from './tabify';
 export * from './types';
 
-import { ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY } from './es_search';
-export const DEFAULT_SEARCH_STRATEGY = ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY;
-
 export {
   IEsSearchRequest,
   IEsSearchResponse,
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/plugin.ts b/src/plugins/data/server/plugin.ts
index 5163bfcb17d405..588885391262ec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/plugin.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import { PluginInitializerContext, CoreSetup, CoreStart, Plugin, Logger } from '
 import { ExpressionsServerSetup } from 'src/plugins/expressions/server';
 import { ConfigSchema } from '../config';
 import { IndexPatternsService, IndexPatternsServiceStart } from './index_patterns';
-import { ISearchSetup, ISearchStart } from './search';
+import { ISearchSetup, ISearchStart, SearchEnhancements } from './search';
 import { SearchService } from './search/search_service';
 import { QueryService } from './query/query_service';
 import { ScriptsService } from './scripts';
@@ -31,9 +31,17 @@ import { AutocompleteService } from './autocomplete';
 import { FieldFormatsService, FieldFormatsSetup, FieldFormatsStart } from './field_formats';
 import { getUiSettings } from './ui_settings';
 
+export interface DataEnhancements {
+  search: SearchEnhancements;
+}
+
 export interface DataPluginSetup {
   search: ISearchSetup;
   fieldFormats: FieldFormatsSetup;
+  /**
+   * @internal
+   */
+  __enhance: (enhancements: DataEnhancements) => void;
 }
 
 export interface DataPluginStart {
@@ -87,11 +95,16 @@ export class DataServerPlugin
 
     core.uiSettings.register(getUiSettings());
 
+    const searchSetup = this.searchService.setup(core, {
+      registerFunction: expressions.registerFunction,
+      usageCollection,
+    });
+
     return {
-      search: this.searchService.setup(core, {
-        registerFunction: expressions.registerFunction,
-        usageCollection,
-      }),
+      __enhance: (enhancements: DataEnhancements) => {
+        searchSetup.__enhance(enhancements.search);
+      },
+      search: searchSetup,
       fieldFormats: this.fieldFormats.setup(),
     };
   }
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/search/index.ts b/src/plugins/data/server/search/index.ts
index 4a3990621ca396..02c21c32546457 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/search/index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/search/index.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-export { ISearchStrategy, ISearchOptions, ISearchSetup, ISearchStart } from './types';
+export {
+  ISearchStrategy,
+  ISearchOptions,
+  ISearchSetup,
+  ISearchStart,
+  SearchEnhancements,
+} from './types';
 
 export { getDefaultSearchParams, getTotalLoaded } from './es_search';
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/search/mocks.ts b/src/plugins/data/server/search/mocks.ts
index 578a170f468bff..0c74ecb4b2c9df 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/search/mocks.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/search/mocks.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export function createSearchSetupMock(): jest.Mocked<ISearchSetup> {
   return {
     aggs: searchAggsSetupMock(),
     registerSearchStrategy: jest.fn(),
+    __enhance: jest.fn(),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/search/search_service.ts b/src/plugins/data/server/search/search_service.ts
index cc23c455bed267..edc94961c79d87 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/search/search_service.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/search/search_service.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
   PluginInitializerContext,
   RequestHandlerContext,
 } from '../../../../core/server';
-import { ISearchSetup, ISearchStart, ISearchStrategy } from './types';
+import { ISearchSetup, ISearchStart, ISearchStrategy, SearchEnhancements } from './types';
 
 import { AggsService, AggsSetupDependencies } from './aggs';
 
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export interface SearchServiceStartDependencies {
 
 export class SearchService implements Plugin<ISearchSetup, ISearchStart> {
   private readonly aggsService = new AggsService();
+  private defaultSearchStrategyName: string = ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY;
   private searchStrategies: StrategyMap<any, any> = {};
 
   constructor(
@@ -87,6 +88,11 @@ export class SearchService implements Plugin<ISearchSetup, ISearchStart> {
     registerSearchRoute(core);
 
     return {
+      __enhance: (enhancements: SearchEnhancements) => {
+        if (this.searchStrategies.hasOwnProperty(enhancements.defaultStrategy)) {
+          this.defaultSearchStrategyName = enhancements.defaultStrategy;
+        }
+      },
       aggs: this.aggsService.setup({ registerFunction }),
       registerSearchStrategy: this.registerSearchStrategy,
       usage,
@@ -98,11 +104,9 @@ export class SearchService implements Plugin<ISearchSetup, ISearchStart> {
     searchRequest: IEsSearchRequest,
     options: Record<string, any>
   ) {
-    return this.getSearchStrategy(options.strategy || ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY).search(
-      context,
-      searchRequest,
-      { signal: options.signal }
-    );
+    return this.getSearchStrategy(
+      options.strategy || this.defaultSearchStrategyName
+    ).search(context, searchRequest, { signal: options.signal });
   }
 
   public start(
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/search/types.ts b/src/plugins/data/server/search/types.ts
index 56f803512aa196..5ce1bb3e6b9f80 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/search/types.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/search/types.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ import { AggsSetup, AggsStart } from './aggs';
 import { SearchUsage } from './collectors/usage';
 import { IEsSearchRequest, IEsSearchResponse } from './es_search';
 
+export interface SearchEnhancements {
+  defaultStrategy: string;
+}
+
 export interface ISearchOptions {
   /**
    * An `AbortSignal` that allows the caller of `search` to abort a search request.
@@ -49,6 +53,11 @@ export interface ISearchSetup {
    * Used internally for telemetry
    */
   usage?: SearchUsage;
+
+  /**
+   * @internal
+   */
+  __enhance: (enhancements: SearchEnhancements) => void;
 }
 
 export interface ISearchStart<
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md b/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md
index 89d77eac102b23..66d0dbefbdf9f5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md
+++ b/src/plugins/data/server/server.api.md
@@ -687,6 +687,10 @@ export interface ISearchOptions {
 //
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface ISearchSetup {
+    // Warning: (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "SearchEnhancements" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
+    //
+    // @internal (undocumented)
+    __enhance: (enhancements: SearchEnhancements) => void;
     // Warning: (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "AggsSetup" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
     //
     // (undocumented)
@@ -857,6 +861,7 @@ export class Plugin implements Plugin_2<PluginSetup, PluginStart, DataPluginSetu
     constructor(initializerContext: PluginInitializerContext_2<ConfigSchema>);
     // (undocumented)
     setup(core: CoreSetup<DataPluginStartDependencies, PluginStart>, { expressions, usageCollection }: DataPluginSetupDependencies): {
+        __enhance: (enhancements: DataEnhancements) => void;
         search: ISearchSetup;
         fieldFormats: {
             register: (customFieldFormat: import("../public").FieldFormatInstanceType) => number;
@@ -885,6 +890,8 @@ export function plugin(initializerContext: PluginInitializerContext<ConfigSchema
 //
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface PluginSetup {
+    // @internal (undocumented)
+    __enhance: (enhancements: DataEnhancements) => void;
     // Warning: (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "FieldFormatsSetup" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
     //
     // (undocumented)
@@ -1092,6 +1099,7 @@ export function usageProvider(core: CoreSetup_2): SearchUsage;
 // src/plugins/data/server/index.ts:240:1 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "isValidInterval" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/server/index.ts:244:1 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "propFilter" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 // src/plugins/data/server/index.ts:247:1 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "toAbsoluteDates" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
+// src/plugins/data/server/plugin.ts:88:66 - (ae-forgotten-export) The symbol "DataEnhancements" needs to be exported by the entry point index.d.ts
 
 // (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/index.ts
index 1f1cd938c97d1d..d6a3c73aaf363b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/index.ts
@@ -4,4 +4,9 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
-export { EnhancedSearchParams, IEnhancedEsSearchRequest, IAsyncSearchRequest } from './search';
+export {
+  EnhancedSearchParams,
+  IEnhancedEsSearchRequest,
+  IAsyncSearchRequest,
+  ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY,
+} from './search';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/index.ts
index 129e412a47ccf1..2ae422bd6b7d7f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/index.ts
@@ -4,4 +4,9 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
-export { EnhancedSearchParams, IEnhancedEsSearchRequest, IAsyncSearchRequest } from './types';
+export {
+  EnhancedSearchParams,
+  IEnhancedEsSearchRequest,
+  IAsyncSearchRequest,
+  ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY,
+} from './types';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/types.ts b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/types.ts
index a5d7d326cecd5b..0d3d3a69e1e571 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/types.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/common/search/types.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 import { IEsSearchRequest, ISearchRequestParams } from '../../../../../src/plugins/data/common';
 
+export const ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY = 'ese';
+
 export interface EnhancedSearchParams extends ISearchRequestParams {
   ignoreThrottled: boolean;
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/public/search/search_interceptor.ts b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/public/search/search_interceptor.ts
index 47099e32fcc726..6f7899d1188b49 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/public/search/search_interceptor.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/public/search/search_interceptor.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../../../../src/plugins/data/public';
 import { AbortError, toPromise } from '../../../../../src/plugins/data/common';
 import { IAsyncSearchOptions } from '.';
-import { IAsyncSearchRequest } from '../../common';
+import { IAsyncSearchRequest, ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY } from '../../common';
 
 export class EnhancedSearchInterceptor extends SearchInterceptor {
   /**
@@ -76,10 +76,11 @@ export class EnhancedSearchInterceptor extends SearchInterceptor {
 
     const { combinedSignal, cleanup } = this.setupTimers(options);
     const aborted$ = from(toPromise(combinedSignal));
+    const strategy = options?.strategy || ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY;
 
     this.pendingCount$.next(this.pendingCount$.getValue() + 1);
 
-    return this.runSearch(request, combinedSignal, options?.strategy).pipe(
+    return this.runSearch(request, combinedSignal, strategy).pipe(
       expand((response) => {
         // If the response indicates of an error, stop polling and complete the observable
         if (!response || (!response.isRunning && response.isPartial)) {
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ export class EnhancedSearchInterceptor extends SearchInterceptor {
         return timer(pollInterval).pipe(
           // Send future requests using just the ID from the response
           mergeMap(() => {
-            return this.runSearch({ ...request, id }, combinedSignal, options?.strategy);
+            return this.runSearch({ ...request, id }, combinedSignal, strategy);
           })
         );
       }),
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/server/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/server/plugin.ts
index 0e9731a4141195..f9b6fd4e9ad649 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/server/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/data_enhanced/server/plugin.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import {
   Plugin,
   Logger,
 } from '../../../../src/core/server';
-import { ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY } from '../../../../src/plugins/data/common';
 import {
   PluginSetup as DataPluginSetup,
   PluginStart as DataPluginStart,
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../../../src/plugins/data/server';
 import { enhancedEsSearchStrategyProvider } from './search';
 import { UsageCollectionSetup } from '../../../../src/plugins/usage_collection/server';
+import { ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY } from '../common';
 
 interface SetupDependencies {
   data: DataPluginSetup;
@@ -36,13 +36,19 @@ export class EnhancedDataServerPlugin implements Plugin<void, void, SetupDepende
     const usage = deps.usageCollection ? usageProvider(core) : undefined;
 
     deps.data.search.registerSearchStrategy(
-      ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY,
+      ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY,
       enhancedEsSearchStrategyProvider(
         this.initializerContext.config.legacy.globalConfig$,
         this.logger,
         usage
       )
     );
+
+    deps.data.__enhance({
+      search: {
+        defaultStrategy: ENHANCED_ES_SEARCH_STRATEGY,
+      },
+    });
   }
 
   public start(core: CoreStart) {}