diff --git a/src/server/config/schema.js b/src/server/config/schema.js
index 319cc075be16c..7a0a489dcf34c 100644
--- a/src/server/config/schema.js
+++ b/src/server/config/schema.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module.exports = () => Joi.object({
     port: Joi.number().default(5601),
     maxPayloadBytes: Joi.number().default(1048576),
     autoListen: Joi.boolean().default(true),
-    defaultRoute: Joi.string(),
+    defaultRoute: Joi.string().default('/app/kibana').regex(/^\//, `start with a slash`),
     basePath: Joi.string().default('').allow('').regex(/(^$|^\/.*[^\/]$)/, `start with a slash, don't end with one`),
     ssl: Joi.object({
       cert: Joi.string(),
diff --git a/src/server/http/get_default_route.js b/src/server/http/get_default_route.js
index bded590cbb168..09d525bbb006a 100644
--- a/src/server/http/get_default_route.js
+++ b/src/server/http/get_default_route.js
@@ -2,9 +2,5 @@ import _ from 'lodash';
 
 module.exports = _.once(function (kbnServer) {
   const { uiExports, config } = kbnServer;
-  // user configured default route
-  let defaultConfig = config.get('server.defaultRoute');
-  if (defaultConfig) return defaultConfig;
-
-  return `${config.get('server.basePath')}/app/kibana`;
+  return `${config.get('server.basePath')}${config.get('server.defaultRoute')}`;
 });