diff --git a/docs/development/core/public/kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.md b/docs/development/core/public/kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.md
index 8f739950d249..fa2d9090e315 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/public/kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/public/kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.md
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ export interface DocLinksStart
 |  --- | --- | --- |
 |  [DOC\_LINK\_VERSION](./kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.doc_link_version.md) | <code>string</code> |  |
 |  [ELASTIC\_WEBSITE\_URL](./kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.elastic_website_url.md) | <code>string</code> |  |
-|  [links](./kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.links.md) | <code>{</code><br/><code>        readonly dashboard: {</code><br/><code>            readonly drilldowns: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly filebeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly installation: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly configuration: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly elasticsearchOutput: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly startup: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly exportedFields: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly auditbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly metricbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly heartbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly logstash: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly functionbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly winlogbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly aggs: {</code><br/><code>            readonly date_histogram: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly date_range: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly filter: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly filters: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly geohash_grid: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly histogram: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly ip_range: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly range: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly significant_terms: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly terms: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly avg: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly avg_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly max_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly min_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly sum_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly cardinality: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly count: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly cumulative_sum: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly derivative: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly geo_bounds: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly geo_centroid: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly max: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly median: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly min: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly moving_avg: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly percentile_ranks: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly serial_diff: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly std_dev: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly sum: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly top_hits: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly scriptedFields: {</code><br/><code>            readonly scriptFields: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly scriptAggs: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly painless: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly painlessApi: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly painlessSyntax: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly luceneExpressions: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly indexPatterns: {</code><br/><code>            readonly loadingData: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly introduction: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly kibana: string;</code><br/><code>        readonly siem: {</code><br/><code>            readonly guide: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly gettingStarted: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly query: {</code><br/><code>            readonly luceneQuerySyntax: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly queryDsl: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly kueryQuerySyntax: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly date: {</code><br/><code>            readonly dateMath: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly management: Record&lt;string, string&gt;;</code><br/><code>    }</code> |  |
+|  [links](./kibana-plugin-core-public.doclinksstart.links.md) | <code>{</code><br/><code>        readonly dashboard: {</code><br/><code>            readonly drilldowns: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly filebeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly installation: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly configuration: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly elasticsearchOutput: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly startup: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly exportedFields: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly auditbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly metricbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly heartbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly logstash: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly functionbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly winlogbeat: {</code><br/><code>            readonly base: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly aggs: {</code><br/><code>            readonly date_histogram: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly date_range: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly filter: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly filters: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly geohash_grid: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly histogram: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly ip_range: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly range: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly significant_terms: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly terms: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly avg: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly avg_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly max_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly min_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly sum_bucket: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly cardinality: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly count: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly cumulative_sum: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly derivative: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly geo_bounds: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly geo_centroid: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly max: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly median: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly min: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly moving_avg: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly percentile_ranks: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly serial_diff: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly std_dev: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly sum: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly top_hits: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly scriptedFields: {</code><br/><code>            readonly scriptFields: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly scriptAggs: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly painless: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly painlessApi: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly painlessSyntax: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly luceneExpressions: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly indexPatterns: {</code><br/><code>            readonly loadingData: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly introduction: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly addData: string;</code><br/><code>        readonly kibana: string;</code><br/><code>        readonly siem: {</code><br/><code>            readonly guide: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly gettingStarted: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly query: {</code><br/><code>            readonly luceneQuerySyntax: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly queryDsl: string;</code><br/><code>            readonly kueryQuerySyntax: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly date: {</code><br/><code>            readonly dateMath: string;</code><br/><code>        };</code><br/><code>        readonly management: Record&lt;string, string&gt;;</code><br/><code>    }</code> |  |
 
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.legacy.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.legacy.md
index c683f0ba3318..abcbbf18a8f9 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.legacy.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.legacy.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 ```typescript
 legacy: {
+        readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
         readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial<LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig>) => ILegacyCustomClusterClient;
         readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;
     };
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.md
index 0dd41a6154a1..ca6134cd5ed6 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.md
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ export interface ElasticsearchServiceSetup
 
 |  Property | Type | Description |
 |  --- | --- | --- |
-|  [legacy](./kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.legacy.md) | <code>{</code><br/><code>        readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial&lt;LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig&gt;) =&gt; ILegacyCustomClusterClient;</code><br/><code>        readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;</code><br/><code>    }</code> |  |
+|  [legacy](./kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicesetup.legacy.md) | <code>{</code><br/><code>        readonly config$: Observable&lt;ElasticsearchConfig&gt;;</code><br/><code>        readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial&lt;LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig&gt;) =&gt; ILegacyCustomClusterClient;</code><br/><code>        readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;</code><br/><code>    }</code> |  |
 
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.legacy.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.legacy.md
index 5f346d7887c2..4026483894aa 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.legacy.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.legacy.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 ```typescript
 legacy: {
+        readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
         readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial<LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig>) => ILegacyCustomClusterClient;
         readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;
     };
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.md
index 860867d65443..8d9cd1be148c 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.md
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ export interface ElasticsearchServiceStart
 |  --- | --- | --- |
 |  [client](./kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.client.md) | <code>IClusterClient</code> | A pre-configured [Elasticsearch client](./kibana-plugin-core-server.iclusterclient.md) |
 |  [createClient](./kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.createclient.md) | <code>(type: string, clientConfig?: Partial&lt;ElasticsearchClientConfig&gt;) =&gt; ICustomClusterClient</code> | Create application specific Elasticsearch cluster API client with customized config. See [IClusterClient](./kibana-plugin-core-server.iclusterclient.md)<!-- -->. |
-|  [legacy](./kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.legacy.md) | <code>{</code><br/><code>        readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial&lt;LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig&gt;) =&gt; ILegacyCustomClusterClient;</code><br/><code>        readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;</code><br/><code>    }</code> |  |
+|  [legacy](./kibana-plugin-core-server.elasticsearchservicestart.legacy.md) | <code>{</code><br/><code>        readonly config$: Observable&lt;ElasticsearchConfig&gt;;</code><br/><code>        readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial&lt;LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig&gt;) =&gt; ILegacyCustomClusterClient;</code><br/><code>        readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;</code><br/><code>    }</code> |  |
 
diff --git a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.mock.ts b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.mock.ts
index 501ab619316c..26186efc286b 100644
--- a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.mock.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.mock.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { ServiceStatus, ServiceStatusLevels } from '../status';
 
 interface MockedElasticSearchServiceSetup {
   legacy: {
+    config$: BehaviorSubject<ElasticsearchConfig>;
     createClient: jest.Mock<ILegacyCustomClusterClient, any>;
     client: jest.Mocked<ILegacyClusterClient>;
   };
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ type MockedElasticSearchServiceStart = MockedElasticSearchServiceSetup & {
 const createSetupContractMock = () => {
   const setupContract: MockedElasticSearchServiceSetup = {
     legacy: {
+      config$: new BehaviorSubject({} as ElasticsearchConfig),
       createClient: jest.fn(),
       client: legacyClientMock.createClusterClient(),
     },
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ const createStartContractMock = () => {
     client: elasticsearchClientMock.createClusterClient(),
     createClient: jest.fn(),
     legacy: {
+      config$: new BehaviorSubject({} as ElasticsearchConfig),
       createClient: jest.fn(),
       client: legacyClientMock.createClusterClient(),
     },
@@ -99,7 +102,6 @@ const createInternalSetupContractMock = () => {
       summary: 'Elasticsearch is available',
     }),
     legacy: {
-      config$: new BehaviorSubject({} as ElasticsearchConfig),
       ...createSetupContractMock().legacy,
     },
   };
diff --git a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.ts b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.ts
index 69bf593dd586..2cc065aaaaeb 100644
--- a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/elasticsearch_service.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ export class ElasticsearchService
       client: this.client!,
       createClient,
       legacy: {
+        config$: this.config$,
         client: this.legacyClient,
         createClient: this.createLegacyCustomClient,
       },
diff --git a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/types.ts b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/types.ts
index 88094af8047e..55b5549a56a2 100644
--- a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/types.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/types.ts
@@ -37,9 +37,14 @@ export interface ElasticsearchServiceSetup {
   /**
    * @deprecated
    * Use {@link ElasticsearchServiceStart.legacy} instead.
-   *
-   * */
+   */
   legacy: {
+    /**
+     * Provide direct access to the current elasticsearch configuration.
+     *
+     * @deprecated this will be removed in a later version.
+     */
+    readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
     /**
      * @deprecated
      * Use {@link ElasticsearchServiceStart.legacy | ElasticsearchServiceStart.legacy.createClient} instead.
@@ -82,11 +87,7 @@ export interface ElasticsearchServiceSetup {
 }
 
 /** @internal */
-export interface InternalElasticsearchServiceSetup {
-  // Required for the BWC with the legacy Kibana only.
-  readonly legacy: ElasticsearchServiceSetup['legacy'] & {
-    readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
-  };
+export interface InternalElasticsearchServiceSetup extends ElasticsearchServiceSetup {
   esNodesCompatibility$: Observable<NodesVersionCompatibility>;
   status$: Observable<ServiceStatus<ElasticsearchStatusMeta>>;
 }
@@ -132,6 +133,12 @@ export interface ElasticsearchServiceStart {
    * Switch to the new elasticsearch client as soon as https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/35508 done.
    * */
   legacy: {
+    /**
+     * Provide direct access to the current elasticsearch configuration.
+     *
+     * @deprecated this will be removed in a later version.
+     */
+    readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
     /**
      * Create application specific Elasticsearch cluster API client with customized config. See {@link ILegacyClusterClient}.
      *
diff --git a/src/core/server/legacy/legacy_service.ts b/src/core/server/legacy/legacy_service.ts
index 976d92e6fe7f..0c1e8562a1de 100644
--- a/src/core/server/legacy/legacy_service.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/legacy/legacy_service.ts
@@ -288,10 +288,7 @@ export class LegacyService implements CoreService {
       capabilities: setupDeps.core.capabilities,
       context: setupDeps.core.context,
       elasticsearch: {
-        legacy: {
-          client: setupDeps.core.elasticsearch.legacy.client,
-          createClient: setupDeps.core.elasticsearch.legacy.createClient,
-        },
+        legacy: setupDeps.core.elasticsearch.legacy,
       },
       http: {
         createCookieSessionStorageFactory: setupDeps.core.http.createCookieSessionStorageFactory,
diff --git a/src/core/server/server.api.md b/src/core/server/server.api.md
index 21ef66230f69..60b01aa06d07 100644
--- a/src/core/server/server.api.md
+++ b/src/core/server/server.api.md
@@ -716,6 +716,7 @@ export class ElasticsearchConfig {
 export interface ElasticsearchServiceSetup {
     // @deprecated (undocumented)
     legacy: {
+        readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
         readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial<LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig>) => ILegacyCustomClusterClient;
         readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;
     };
@@ -727,6 +728,7 @@ export interface ElasticsearchServiceStart {
     readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial<ElasticsearchClientConfig>) => ICustomClusterClient;
     // @deprecated (undocumented)
     legacy: {
+        readonly config$: Observable<ElasticsearchConfig>;
         readonly createClient: (type: string, clientConfig?: Partial<LegacyElasticsearchClientConfig>) => ILegacyCustomClusterClient;
         readonly client: ILegacyClusterClient;
     };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/licensing/server/plugin.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/licensing/server/plugin.test.ts
index 6e8327e15154..b1669db00f22 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/licensing/server/plugin.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/licensing/server/plugin.test.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ function createCoreSetupWith(esClient: ILegacyClusterClient) {
       ...coreStart,
       elasticsearch: {
         ...coreStart.elasticsearch,
-        legacy: { client: esClient, createClient: jest.fn() },
+        legacy: {
+          ...coreStart.elasticsearch.legacy,
+          client: esClient,
+          createClient: jest.fn(),
+        },
       },
     },
     {},