diff --git a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go
index 84f216e4c98..b69ed9112db 100644
--- a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go
+++ b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client.go
@@ -132,9 +132,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 const (
-	defaultEventTypeES6 = "doc"
-	defaultEventTypeES7 = "_doc"
-	defaultEventType    = defaultEventTypeES7
+	defaultEventType = "_doc"
 )
 
 // NewClient instantiates a new client.
@@ -691,12 +689,7 @@ func (client *Client) Connect() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if client.GetVersion().Major < 7 {
-		client.eventType = defaultEventTypeES6
-	} else {
-		client.eventType = defaultEventType
-	}
-
+	client.eventType = defaultEventType
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go
index 83f8834bf72..dc2bb77513d 100644
--- a/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/outputs/elasticsearch/client_test.go
@@ -395,12 +395,7 @@ func TestBulkEncodeEvents(t *testing.T) {
 		config  common.MapStr
 		events  []common.MapStr
 	}{
-		"ES 6.x event": {
-			docType: "doc",
-			config:  common.MapStr{},
-			events:  []common.MapStr{{"message": "test"}},
-		},
-		"ES 7.x event": {
+		"Beats 7.x event": {
 			docType: "_doc",
 			config:  common.MapStr{},
 			events:  []common.MapStr{{"message": "test"}},
diff --git a/libbeat/template/load_integration_test.go b/libbeat/template/load_integration_test.go
index ac4910362d5..84cae1c48ec 100644
--- a/libbeat/template/load_integration_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/template/load_integration_test.go
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ func TestTemplateWithData(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, loader.CheckTemplate(tmpl.GetName()))
 
 	for _, test := range dataTests {
-		_, _, err = client.Index(tmpl.GetName(), "doc", "", nil, test.data)
+		_, _, err = client.Index(tmpl.GetName(), "_doc", "", nil, test.data)
 		if test.error {
 			assert.NotNil(t, err)
 
@@ -395,13 +395,7 @@ func getTemplate(t *testing.T, client ESClient, templateName string) testTemplat
 }
 
 func (tt *testTemplate) SourceEnabled() bool {
-	docType := "_doc"
-	major := tt.client.GetVersion().Major
-	if major < 7 {
-		docType = "doc"
-	}
-
-	key := fmt.Sprintf("mappings.%v._source.enabled", docType)
+	key := fmt.Sprintf("mappings._doc._source.enabled")
 
 	// _source.enabled is true if it's missing (default)
 	b, _ := tt.HasKey(key)
diff --git a/libbeat/template/template.go b/libbeat/template/template.go
index 540077b29d6..5273b3f4851 100644
--- a/libbeat/template/template.go
+++ b/libbeat/template/template.go
@@ -205,15 +205,12 @@ func (t *Template) Generate(properties common.MapStr, dynamicTemplates []common.
 		indexSettings.Put("number_of_routing_shards", defaultNumberOfRoutingShards)
 	}
 
-	var mappingName string
+	mappingName := "_doc"
 	major := t.esVersion.Major
 	switch {
 	case major < 6:
 		mappingName = "_default_"
-	case major == 6:
-		mappingName = "doc"
 	case major >= 7:
-		mappingName = "_doc"
 		defaultFields = append(defaultFields, "fields.*")
 		indexSettings.Put("query.default_field", defaultFields)
 	}