diff --git a/cws-installer/src/main/java/jpl/cws/task/CwsInstaller.java b/cws-installer/src/main/java/jpl/cws/task/CwsInstaller.java
index 96a5d7f9..035d6721 100644
--- a/cws-installer/src/main/java/jpl/cws/task/CwsInstaller.java
+++ b/cws-installer/src/main/java/jpl/cws/task/CwsInstaller.java
@@ -1877,6 +1877,13 @@ private static int validateElasticsearch() {
 				return 1;
 			}
 
+			if (!(elasticsearch_host.startsWith("https://") || elasticsearch_host.startsWith("http://")) ) {
+				print("   [WARNING]");
+				print("       It was determined that the user provided Elasticsearch endpoint '" + elasticsearch_host + "' did not properly set or include protocol 'http://' OR 'https://'");
+				print("");
+				return 1;
+			}
+
 			print("   [OK]");
 			print("");
 			return 0; // no warnings