diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.test.ts
index 0144e573fc1462..ada86adf84cfd2 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.test.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ describe('doesIlmPolicyExist', () => {
     await clusterClientAdapter.doesIlmPolicyExist('foo');
     expect(clusterClient.callAsInternalUser).toHaveBeenCalledWith('transport.request', {
       method: 'GET',
-      path: '_ilm/policy/foo',
+      path: '/_ilm/policy/foo',
     });
   });
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ describe('createIlmPolicy', () => {
     await clusterClientAdapter.createIlmPolicy('foo', { args: true });
     expect(clusterClient.callAsInternalUser).toHaveBeenCalledWith('transport.request', {
       method: 'PUT',
-      path: '_ilm/policy/foo',
+      path: '/_ilm/policy/foo',
       body: { args: true },
     });
   });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.ts b/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.ts
index 7fd239ca493692..a036bfb74e4081 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/event_log/server/es/cluster_client_adapter.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export class ClusterClientAdapter {
   public async doesIlmPolicyExist(policyName: string): Promise<boolean> {
     const request = {
       method: 'GET',
-      path: `_ilm/policy/${policyName}`,
+      path: `/_ilm/policy/${policyName}`,
     };
     try {
       await this.callEs('transport.request', request);
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export class ClusterClientAdapter {
   public async createIlmPolicy(policyName: string, policy: unknown): Promise<void> {
     const request = {
       method: 'PUT',
-      path: `_ilm/policy/${policyName}`,
+      path: `/_ilm/policy/${policyName}`,
       body: policy,
     };
     try {