diff --git a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/configure_client.ts b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/configure_client.ts
index a295d2a53d1a7..3800858d6a601 100644
--- a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/configure_client.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/configure_client.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,13 @@ import type {
 import { Logger } from '../../logging';
 import { parseClientOptions, ElasticsearchClientConfig } from './client_config';
 import { instrumentEsQueryAndDeprecationLogger } from './log_query_and_deprecation';
+import { patchElasticsearchClient } from './patch_client';
 
 const noop = () => undefined;
 
+// Apply ES client patches on module load
+patchElasticsearchClient();
+
 export const configureClient = (
   config: ElasticsearchClientConfig,
   {
diff --git a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/patch_client.ts b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/patch_client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..75ea5db91b2e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/client/patch_client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0 and the Server Side Public License, v 1; you may not use this file except
+ * in compliance with, at your election, the Elastic License 2.0 or the Server
+ * Side Public License, v 1.
+ */
+
+import { errors } from '@elastic/elasticsearch';
+
+export const patchElasticsearchClient = () => {
+  const baseErrorPrototype = errors.ElasticsearchClientError.prototype;
+  // @ts-expect-error
+  baseErrorPrototype.toJSON = function () {
+    return {
+      name: this.name,
+      message: this.message,
+    };
+  };
+};
diff --git a/src/core/server/elasticsearch/integration_tests/errors.test.ts b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/integration_tests/errors.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..42508050ffa79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/server/elasticsearch/integration_tests/errors.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0 and the Server Side Public License, v 1; you may not use this file except
+ * in compliance with, at your election, the Elastic License 2.0 or the Server
+ * Side Public License, v 1.
+ */
+
+import {
+  createTestServers,
+  type TestElasticsearchUtils,
+  type TestKibanaUtils,
+} from '../../../test_helpers/kbn_server';
+
+describe('elasticsearch clients errors', () => {
+  let esServer: TestElasticsearchUtils;
+  let kibanaServer: TestKibanaUtils;
+
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    const { startES, startKibana } = createTestServers({
+      adjustTimeout: jest.setTimeout,
+    });
+
+    esServer = await startES();
+    kibanaServer = await startKibana();
+  });
+
+  afterAll(async () => {
+    await kibanaServer.stop();
+    await esServer.stop();
+  });
+
+  it('has the proper JSON representation', async () => {
+    const esClient = kibanaServer.coreStart.elasticsearch.client.asInternalUser;
+
+    try {
+      await esClient.search({
+        index: '.kibana',
+        // @ts-expect-error yes this is invalid
+        query: { someInvalidQuery: { foo: 'bar' } },
+      });
+      expect('should have thrown').toEqual('but it did not');
+    } catch (e) {
+      const stringifiedError = JSON.stringify(e);
+      expect(stringifiedError).not.toContain('headers');
+      expect(stringifiedError).not.toContain('authorization');
+    }
+  });
+});