diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.initialize.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.initialize.md
index 2e1e409e2d7f9..61091306d0dbc 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.initialize.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.initialize.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 ## SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions.initialize property
 
-Sets all the counter fields to 0 if they don't already exist
+(default=false) If true, sets all the counter fields to 0 if they don't already exist. Existing fields will be left as-is and won't be incremented.
 
 <b>Signature:</b>
 
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.md
index a885982194fa6..68e9bb09456cd 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export interface SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions extends SavedObjectsBaseOpt
 
 |  Property | Type | Description |
 |  --- | --- | --- |
-|  [initialize](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.initialize.md) | <code>boolean</code> | Sets all the counter fields to 0 if they don't already exist |
-|  [migrationVersion](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.migrationversion.md) | <code>SavedObjectsMigrationVersion</code> |  |
-|  [refresh](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.refresh.md) | <code>MutatingOperationRefreshSetting</code> | The Elasticsearch Refresh setting for this operation |
+|  [initialize](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.initialize.md) | <code>boolean</code> | (default=false) If true, sets all the counter fields to 0 if they don't already exist. Existing fields will be left as-is and won't be incremented. |
+|  [migrationVersion](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.migrationversion.md) | <code>SavedObjectsMigrationVersion</code> | [SavedObjectsMigrationVersion](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsmigrationversion.md) |
+|  [refresh](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.refresh.md) | <code>MutatingOperationRefreshSetting</code> | (default='wait\_for') The Elasticsearch refresh setting for this operation. See [MutatingOperationRefreshSetting](./kibana-plugin-core-server.mutatingoperationrefreshsetting.md) |
 
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.migrationversion.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.migrationversion.md
index 417db99fd5a27..aff80138d61cf 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.migrationversion.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.migrationversion.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 ## SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions.migrationVersion property
 
+[SavedObjectsMigrationVersion](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsmigrationversion.md)
+
 <b>Signature:</b>
 
 ```typescript
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.refresh.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.refresh.md
index 31d957ca30a3e..4f217cc223d46 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.refresh.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.refresh.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 ## SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions.refresh property
 
-The Elasticsearch Refresh setting for this operation
+(default='wait\_for') The Elasticsearch refresh setting for this operation. See [MutatingOperationRefreshSetting](./kibana-plugin-core-server.mutatingoperationrefreshsetting.md)
 
 <b>Signature:</b>
 
diff --git a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsrepository.incrementcounter.md b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsrepository.incrementcounter.md
index 4022467832660..dc62cacf6741b 100644
--- a/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsrepository.incrementcounter.md
+++ b/docs/development/core/server/kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsrepository.incrementcounter.md
@@ -16,20 +16,22 @@ incrementCounter(type: string, id: string, counterFieldNames: string[], options?
 
 |  Parameter | Type | Description |
 |  --- | --- | --- |
-|  type | <code>string</code> |  |
-|  id | <code>string</code> |  |
-|  counterFieldNames | <code>string[]</code> |  |
-|  options | <code>SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions</code> |  |
+|  type | <code>string</code> | The type of saved object whose fields should be incremented |
+|  id | <code>string</code> | The id of the document whose fields should be incremented |
+|  counterFieldNames | <code>string[]</code> | An array of field names to increment |
+|  options | <code>SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions</code> | [SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions](./kibana-plugin-core-server.savedobjectsincrementcounteroptions.md) |
 
 <b>Returns:</b>
 
 `Promise<SavedObject>`
 
-{<!-- -->promise<!-- -->}
+The saved object after the specified fields were incremented
 
 ## Remarks
 
-\* When supplying a field name like `stats.api.counter` the field name will be used as-is to create a document like: `{attributes: {'stats.api.counter': 1}}` It will not create a nested structure like: `{attributes: {stats: {api: {counter: 1}}}}` When using incrementCounter for collecting usage data, you need to ensure that usage collection happens on a best-effort basis and doesn't negatively affect your plugin or users. See https://github.com/elastic/kibana/blob/master/src/plugins/usage\_collection/README.md\#tracking-interactions-with-incrementcounter)
+When supplying a field name like `stats.api.counter` the field name will be used as-is to create a document like: `{attributes: {'stats.api.counter': 1}}` It will not create a nested structure like: `{attributes: {stats: {api: {counter: 1}}}}`
+
+When using incrementCounter for collecting usage data, you need to ensure that usage collection happens on a best-effort basis and doesn't negatively affect your plugin or users. See https://github.com/elastic/kibana/blob/master/src/plugins/usage\_collection/README.md\#tracking-interactions-with-incrementcounter)
 
 ## Example
 
@@ -37,10 +39,17 @@ incrementCounter(type: string, id: string, counterFieldNames: string[], options?
 ```ts
 const repository = coreStart.savedObjects.createInternalRepository();
 
+// Initialize all fields to 0
 repository
   .incrementCounter('dashboard_counter_type', 'counter_id', [
     'stats.apiCalls',
     'stats.sampleDataInstalled',
+  ], {initialize: true});
+
+// Increment the apiCalls field counter
+repository
+  .incrementCounter('dashboard_counter_type', 'counter_id', [
+    'stats.apiCalls',
   ])
 
 ```
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/service/lib/repository.ts b/src/core/server/saved_objects/service/lib/repository.ts
index 6d4576bfce14d..2f09ad71de558 100644
--- a/src/core/server/saved_objects/service/lib/repository.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/saved_objects/service/lib/repository.ts
@@ -101,10 +101,17 @@ export interface SavedObjectsRepositoryOptions {
  * @public
  */
 export interface SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions extends SavedObjectsBaseOptions {
-  /** Sets all the counter fields to 0 if they don't already exist */
+  /**
+   * (default=false) If true, sets all the counter fields to 0 if they don't
+   * already exist. Existing fields will be left as-is and won't be incremented.
+   */
   initialize?: boolean;
+  /** {@link SavedObjectsMigrationVersion} */
   migrationVersion?: SavedObjectsMigrationVersion;
-  /** The Elasticsearch Refresh setting for this operation */
+  /**
+   * (default='wait_for') The Elasticsearch refresh setting for this
+   * operation. See {@link MutatingOperationRefreshSetting}
+   */
   refresh?: MutatingOperationRefreshSetting;
 }
 
@@ -1521,11 +1528,12 @@ export class SavedObjectsRepository {
    * if one doesn't exist for the given id.
    *
    * @remarks
-   * * When supplying a field name like `stats.api.counter` the field name will
+   * When supplying a field name like `stats.api.counter` the field name will
    * be used as-is to create a document like:
    *   `{attributes: {'stats.api.counter': 1}}`
    * It will not create a nested structure like:
    *   `{attributes: {stats: {api: {counter: 1}}}}`
+   *
    * When using incrementCounter for collecting usage data, you need to ensure
    * that usage collection happens on a best-effort basis and doesn't
    * negatively affect your plugin or users. See https://github.com/elastic/kibana/blob/master/src/plugins/usage_collection/README.md#tracking-interactions-with-incrementcounter)
@@ -1534,19 +1542,25 @@ export class SavedObjectsRepository {
    * ```ts
    * const repository = coreStart.savedObjects.createInternalRepository();
    *
+   * // Initialize all fields to 0
    * repository
    *   .incrementCounter('dashboard_counter_type', 'counter_id', [
    *     'stats.apiCalls',
    *     'stats.sampleDataInstalled',
+   *   ], {initialize: true});
+   *
+   * // Increment the apiCalls field counter
+   * repository
+   *   .incrementCounter('dashboard_counter_type', 'counter_id', [
+   *     'stats.apiCalls',
    *   ])
    * ```
    *
-   * @param {string} type
-   * @param {string} id
-   * @param {string} counterFieldNames
-   * @param {object} [options={}]
-   * @property {object} [options.migrationVersion=undefined]
-   * @returns {promise}
+   * @param type - The type of saved object whose fields should be incremented
+   * @param id - The id of the document whose fields should be incremented
+   * @param counterFieldNames - An array of field names to increment
+   * @param options - {@link SavedObjectsIncrementCounterOptions}
+   * @returns The saved object after the specified fields were incremented
    */
   async incrementCounter(
     type: string,