diff --git a/src/kibana/apps/settings/directives/indices/edit.js b/src/kibana/apps/settings/directives/indices/edit.js
index c2973f05c1c8e..775f396a7cff9 100644
--- a/src/kibana/apps/settings/directives/indices/edit.js
+++ b/src/kibana/apps/settings/directives/indices/edit.js
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ define(function (require) {
       max: 35
     };
 
+    $scope.conflictFields = _.filter($scope.indexPattern.fields, {type: 'conflict'});
+
     $scope.refreshFields = function () {
       $scope.indexPattern.refreshFields();
     };
diff --git a/src/kibana/apps/settings/partials/indices/edit.html b/src/kibana/apps/settings/partials/indices/edit.html
index 375e11b40a10a..3796ca65cacdb 100644
--- a/src/kibana/apps/settings/partials/indices/edit.html
+++ b/src/kibana/apps/settings/partials/indices/edit.html
@@ -27,11 +27,19 @@ <h1>
         </h1>
         <p>
           This page lists every field in the <strong>{{indexPattern.id}}</strong>
-          index and the field's associated core type as recorded by Elasticsearch
+          index and the field's associated core type as recorded by Elasticsearch.
+          While this list allows you to view the core type of each field, changing
+          field types must be done using Elasticsearch's
+          <a href="http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/mapping.html">
+            Mapping API
+          </a>
         </p>
         <div bo-if="indexPattern.timeFieldName && indexPattern.intervalName" class="alert alert-info">
           This index uses a <strong>Time-based index pattern</strong> which repeats <span bo-text="indexPattern.getInterval().display"></span>
-        </p>
+        </div>
+        <div bo-if="conflictFields.length" class="alert alert-warning">
+          <strong>Mapping conflict!</strong> {{conflictFields.length > 1 ? conflictFields.length : 'A'}} field{{conflictFields.length > 1 ? 's' : ''}} {{conflictFields.length > 1 ? 'are' : 'is'}} defined as several types (string, integer, etc) across the indices that match this pattern. You may still be able to use these conflict fields in parts of Kibana, but they will be unavailable for functions that require Kibana to know their type. Correcting this issue will require reindexing your data.
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       <div ng-hide="tablePages() == 1">
@@ -70,8 +78,15 @@ <h1>
               tooltip="This field represents the time that events occured"
               class="label label-default">
             <i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i>
+            </span>
+          </td>
+          <td>
+            <span bo-text="field.type"></span>
+            <i
+            bo-if="field.type == 'conflict'"
+            tooltip="The type of this field changes across indices. It is unavailable for many analysis functions"
+            class="fa fa-warning text-color-warning"></i>
           </td>
-          <td bo-text="field.type"></td>
         </tr>
       </table>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/kibana/components/index_patterns/_transform_mapping_into_fields.js b/src/kibana/components/index_patterns/_transform_mapping_into_fields.js
index 5e2ac7b1108f1..a24fe36e4da0d 100644
--- a/src/kibana/components/index_patterns/_transform_mapping_into_fields.js
+++ b/src/kibana/components/index_patterns/_transform_mapping_into_fields.js
@@ -32,11 +32,12 @@ define(function (require) {
             if (fields[name]) {
               if (fields[name].type !== mapping.type
               ) {
-                throw new MappingConflict(name);
+                // conflict fields are not available for much except showing in the discover table
+                mapping.type = 'conflict';
+                mapping.indexed = false;
+
               }
-              return;
             }
-
             fields[name] = _.pick(mapping, 'type', 'indexed', 'analyzed');
           });
         });
diff --git a/src/kibana/directives/field_name.js b/src/kibana/directives/field_name.js
index b63b4e8734e09..94aa56f1e2d58 100644
--- a/src/kibana/directives/field_name.js
+++ b/src/kibana/directives/field_name.js
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ define(function (require) {
             return $('<i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i> ');
           case 'ip':
             return $('<i class="fa fa-laptop"></i> ');
+          case 'conflict':
+            return $('<i class="fa fa-warning"></i> ');
           default:
             return $('<i><strong>?</strong></i> ');
           }
diff --git a/src/kibana/styles/main.css b/src/kibana/styles/main.css
index 277616fad27ea..f68e9a621752f 100644
--- a/src/kibana/styles/main.css
+++ b/src/kibana/styles/main.css
@@ -7025,6 +7025,21 @@ body {
   height: 100%;
   margin: 0px;
 }
+.text-color-primary {
+  color: #46525d;
+}
+.text-color-info {
+  color: #3498db;
+}
+.text-color-success {
+  color: #31c471;
+}
+.text-color-warning {
+  color: #f39c12;
+}
+.text-color-danger {
+  color: #e74c3c;
+}
 ul.navbar-inline li {
   display: inline;
 }
diff --git a/src/kibana/styles/main.less b/src/kibana/styles/main.less
index f1f2570d2628a..007399436e2ad 100644
--- a/src/kibana/styles/main.less
+++ b/src/kibana/styles/main.less
@@ -29,6 +29,27 @@ body {
   margin: 0px;
 }
 
+// Colors available for font awesome icons, these might not look good with normal text
+.text-color-primary {
+  color: @brand-primary;
+}
+
+.text-color-info {
+  color: @brand-info;
+}
+
+.text-color-success {
+  color: @brand-success;
+}
+
+.text-color-warning {
+  color: @brand-warning;
+}
+
+.text-color-danger {
+  color: @brand-danger;
+}
+
 ul.navbar-inline li {
   display: inline;
 }