diff --git a/src/plugins/unified_search/public/query_string_input/esql_menu_popover.tsx b/src/plugins/unified_search/public/query_string_input/esql_menu_popover.tsx
index 71e54c3376abb..ba978debb73de 100644
--- a/src/plugins/unified_search/public/query_string_input/esql_menu_popover.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/unified_search/public/query_string_input/esql_menu_popover.tsx
@@ -145,7 +145,6 @@ export const ESQLMenuPopover: React.FC<ESQLMenuPopoverProps> = ({
       },
       {
         id: 1,
-        initialFocusedItemIndex: 1,
         title: i18n.translate('unifiedSearch.query.queryBar.esqlMenu.exampleQueries', {
           defaultMessage: 'Recommended queries',
         }),