diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts
index ebe893479cf3..930d21f02992 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_pattern.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ import { IndexPatternField, IIndexPatternFieldList, fieldList } from '../fields'
 import { formatHitProvider } from './format_hit';
 import { flattenHitWrapper } from './flatten_hit';
 import { FieldFormatsStartCommon, FieldFormat } from '../../field_formats';
-import { IndexPatternSpec, TypeMeta, SourceFilter, IndexPatternFieldMap } from '../types';
+import {
+  IndexPatternSpec,
+  TypeMeta,
+  SourceFilter,
+  IndexPatternFieldMap,
+  SavedObjectReference,
+} from '../types';
 import { SerializedFieldFormat } from '../../../../expressions/common';
 
 interface IndexPatternDeps {
@@ -67,6 +73,7 @@ interface SavedObjectBody {
 
 type FormatFieldFn = (hit: Record<string, any>, fieldName: string) => any;
 
+const DATA_SOURCE_REFERNECE_NAME = 'dataSource';
 export class IndexPattern implements IIndexPattern {
   public id?: string;
   public title: string = '';
@@ -86,6 +93,7 @@ export class IndexPattern implements IIndexPattern {
   // savedObject version
   public version: string | undefined;
   public sourceFilters?: SourceFilter[];
+  public dataSourceRef?: SavedObjectReference;
   private originalSavedObjectBody: SavedObjectBody = {};
   private shortDotsEnable: boolean = false;
   private fieldFormats: FieldFormatsStartCommon;
@@ -128,6 +136,7 @@ export class IndexPattern implements IIndexPattern {
     this.fieldFormatMap = _.mapValues(fieldFormatMap, (mapping) => {
       return this.deserializeFieldFormatMap(mapping);
     });
+    this.dataSourceRef = spec.dataSourceRef;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -357,6 +366,17 @@ export class IndexPattern implements IIndexPattern {
     };
   }
 
+  getSaveObjectReference() {
+    return this.dataSourceRef
+      ? [
+          {
+            ...this.dataSourceRef,
+            name: DATA_SOURCE_REFERNECE_NAME,
+          },
+        ]
+      : [];
+  }
+
   /**
    * Provide a field, get its formatter
    * @param field
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts
index f3d605472b96..4ec31928257e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/index_patterns/index_patterns.ts
@@ -562,8 +562,11 @@ export class IndexPatternsService {
     }
 
     const body = indexPattern.getAsSavedObjectBody();
+    const references = indexPattern.getSaveObjectReference();
+
     const response = await this.savedObjectsClient.create(savedObjectType, body, {
       id: indexPattern.id,
+      references,
     });
     indexPattern.id = response.id;
     indexPatternCache.set(indexPattern.id, indexPattern);
diff --git a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/types.ts b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/types.ts
index 01ab9e41bab1..2200fb85d8b1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/types.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/data/common/index_patterns/types.ts
@@ -184,6 +184,11 @@ export interface FieldSpec {
 
 export type IndexPatternFieldMap = Record<string, FieldSpec>;
 
+export interface SavedObjectReference {
+  name?: string;
+  id: string;
+  type: string;
+}
 export interface IndexPatternSpec {
   id?: string;
   version?: string;
@@ -194,6 +199,7 @@ export interface IndexPatternSpec {
   fields?: IndexPatternFieldMap;
   typeMeta?: TypeMeta;
   type?: string;
+  dataSourceRef?: SavedObjectReference;
 }
 
 export interface SourceFilter {
diff --git a/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/components/create_index_pattern_wizard/create_index_pattern_wizard.tsx b/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/components/create_index_pattern_wizard/create_index_pattern_wizard.tsx
index c10deeed93ef..7d9dad054887 100644
--- a/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/components/create_index_pattern_wizard/create_index_pattern_wizard.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/components/create_index_pattern_wizard/create_index_pattern_wizard.tsx
@@ -181,13 +181,14 @@ export class CreateIndexPatternWizard extends Component<
   createIndexPattern = async (timeFieldName: string | undefined, indexPatternId: string) => {
     let emptyPattern: IndexPattern;
     const { history } = this.props;
-    const { indexPattern } = this.state;
+    const { indexPattern, dataSourceRef } = this.state;
 
     try {
       emptyPattern = await this.context.services.data.indexPatterns.createAndSave({
         id: indexPatternId,
         title: indexPattern,
         timeFieldName,
+        dataSourceRef,
         ...this.state.indexPatternCreationType.getIndexPatternMappings(),
       });
     } catch (err) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/management_app/mount_management_section.tsx b/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/management_app/mount_management_section.tsx
index 3be80bdfa14e..6e03f9f5e1dc 100644
--- a/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/management_app/mount_management_section.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/index_pattern_management/public/management_app/mount_management_section.tsx
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export async function mountManagementSection(
   ] = await getStartServices();
   const canSave = Boolean(application.capabilities.indexPatterns.save);
   const dataSourceEnabled = false;
-  // todo: Boolean(application.capabilities.indexPatterns.dataSourceEnabled) or get from plugin constructor;
+  // todo: Boolean(application.capabilities.indexPatterns.dataSourceEnabled) or get from plugin constructor; #2111
 
   if (!canSave) {
     chrome.setBadge(readOnlyBadge);