diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/common_data_layer_args.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/common_data_layer_args.ts
index 49446310a894b..5a1dad533c084 100644
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/common_data_layer_args.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/common_data_layer_args.ts
@@ -6,13 +6,17 @@
  * Side Public License, v 1.
  */
 
+import { ArgumentType } from '@kbn/expressions-plugin/common';
 import { SeriesTypes, XScaleTypes, YScaleTypes, Y_CONFIG } from '../constants';
 import { strings } from '../i18n';
-import { DataLayerFn, ExtendedDataLayerFn } from '../types';
+import { DataLayerArgs, ExtendedDataLayerArgs } from '../types';
 
-type CommonDataLayerFn = DataLayerFn | ExtendedDataLayerFn;
+type CommonDataLayerArgs = ExtendedDataLayerArgs | DataLayerArgs;
+type CommonDataLayerFnArgs = {
+  [key in keyof CommonDataLayerArgs]: ArgumentType<CommonDataLayerArgs[key]>;
+};
 
-export const commonDataLayerArgs: CommonDataLayerFn['args'] = {
+export const commonDataLayerArgs: CommonDataLayerFnArgs = {
   hide: {
     types: ['boolean'],
     default: false,
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/data_layer.test.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/data_layer.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 518690d47bfcb..0000000000000
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/data_layer.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * 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 { DataLayerArgs } from '../types';
-import { createMockExecutionContext } from '@kbn/expressions-plugin/common/mocks';
-import { mockPaletteOutput, sampleArgs } from '../__mocks__';
-import { LayerTypes } from '../constants';
-import { dataLayerFunction } from './data_layer';
-
-describe('dataLayerConfig', () => {
-  test('produces the correct arguments', () => {
-    const { data } = sampleArgs();
-    const args: DataLayerArgs = {
-      seriesType: 'line',
-      xAccessor: 'c',
-      accessors: ['a', 'b'],
-      splitAccessor: 'd',
-      xScaleType: 'linear',
-      yScaleType: 'linear',
-      isHistogram: false,
-      palette: mockPaletteOutput,
-    };
-
-    const result = dataLayerFunction.fn(data, args, createMockExecutionContext());
-
-    expect(result).toEqual({
-      type: 'dataLayer',
-      layerType: LayerTypes.DATA,
-      ...args,
-      table: data,
-    });
-  });
-});
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/data_layer.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/data_layer.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f36a0ea4c101f..0000000000000
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/data_layer.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * 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 { DataLayerFn } from '../types';
-import { DATA_LAYER, LayerTypes } from '../constants';
-import { strings } from '../i18n';
-import { commonDataLayerArgs } from './common_data_layer_args';
-
-export const dataLayerFunction: DataLayerFn = {
-  name: DATA_LAYER,
-  aliases: [],
-  type: DATA_LAYER,
-  help: strings.getDataLayerFnHelp(),
-  inputTypes: ['datatable'],
-  args: { ...commonDataLayerArgs },
-  fn(table, args) {
-    return {
-      type: DATA_LAYER,
-      ...args,
-      accessors: args.accessors ?? [],
-      layerType: LayerTypes.DATA,
-      table,
-    };
-  },
-};
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/index.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/index.ts
index ab1d570a07351..30a76217b5c0e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/index.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ export * from './annotation_layer';
 export * from './extended_annotation_layer';
 export * from './y_axis_config';
 export * from './extended_y_axis_config';
-export * from './data_layer';
 export * from './extended_data_layer';
 export * from './grid_lines_config';
 export * from './axis_extent_config';
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.test.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.test.ts
index 688efbe122f3e..871135dd45bcb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.test.ts
@@ -15,16 +15,22 @@ describe('xyVis', () => {
   test('it renders with the specified data and args', async () => {
     const { data, args } = sampleArgs();
     const { layers, ...rest } = args;
+    const { layerId, layerType, table, type, ...restLayerArgs } = sampleLayer;
     const result = await xyVisFunction.fn(
       data,
-      { ...rest, dataLayers: [sampleLayer], referenceLineLayers: [], annotationLayers: [] },
+      { ...rest, ...restLayerArgs, referenceLineLayers: [], annotationLayers: [] },
       createMockExecutionContext()
     );
 
     expect(result).toEqual({
       type: 'render',
       as: XY_VIS,
-      value: { args: { ...rest, layers: [sampleLayer] } },
+      value: {
+        args: {
+          ...rest,
+          layers: [{ layerType, table: data, layerId: 'dataLayers-0', type, ...restLayerArgs }],
+        },
+      },
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.ts
index 2e97cb00b3e55..e8a5858d3ed26 100644
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
  */
 
 import { XyVisFn } from '../types';
-import { XY_VIS, DATA_LAYER, REFERENCE_LINE_LAYER, ANNOTATION_LAYER } from '../constants';
+import { XY_VIS, REFERENCE_LINE_LAYER, ANNOTATION_LAYER } from '../constants';
 import { strings } from '../i18n';
 import { commonXYArgs } from './common_xy_args';
+import { commonDataLayerArgs } from './common_data_layer_args';
 
 export const xyVisFunction: XyVisFn = {
   name: XY_VIS,
@@ -18,11 +19,7 @@ export const xyVisFunction: XyVisFn = {
   help: strings.getXYHelp(),
   args: {
     ...commonXYArgs,
-    dataLayers: {
-      types: [DATA_LAYER],
-      help: strings.getDataLayerHelp(),
-      multi: true,
-    },
+    ...commonDataLayerArgs,
     referenceLineLayers: {
       types: [REFERENCE_LINE_LAYER],
       help: strings.getReferenceLineLayerHelp(),
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis_fn.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis_fn.ts
index 1bd75e1296c6c..6ce3116d377e1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis_fn.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/expression_functions/xy_vis_fn.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
  */
 
 import { Dimension, prepareLogTable } from '@kbn/visualizations-plugin/common/utils';
-import { LayerTypes, XY_VIS_RENDERER } from '../constants';
+import { LayerTypes, XY_VIS_RENDERER, DATA_LAYER } from '../constants';
 import { appendLayerIds } from '../helpers';
-import { XYLayerConfig, XyVisFn } from '../types';
+import { DataLayerConfigResult, XYLayerConfig, XyVisFn } from '../types';
 import { getLayerDimensions } from '../utils';
 import {
   hasAreaLayer,
@@ -21,7 +21,40 @@ import {
 } from './validate';
 
 export const xyVisFn: XyVisFn['fn'] = async (data, args, handlers) => {
-  const { dataLayers = [], referenceLineLayers = [], annotationLayers = [], ...restArgs } = args;
+  const {
+    referenceLineLayers = [],
+    annotationLayers = [],
+    seriesType,
+    accessors = [],
+    xAccessor,
+    hide,
+    splitAccessor,
+    columnToLabel,
+    yScaleType,
+    xScaleType,
+    isHistogram,
+    yConfig,
+    palette,
+    ...restArgs
+  } = args;
+  const dataLayers: DataLayerConfigResult[] = [
+    {
+      type: DATA_LAYER,
+      seriesType,
+      accessors,
+      xAccessor,
+      hide,
+      splitAccessor,
+      columnToLabel,
+      yScaleType,
+      xScaleType,
+      isHistogram,
+      palette,
+      yConfig,
+      layerType: LayerTypes.DATA,
+      table: data,
+    },
+  ];
   const layers: XYLayerConfig[] = [
     ...appendLayerIds(dataLayers, 'dataLayers'),
     ...appendLayerIds(referenceLineLayers, 'referenceLineLayers'),
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/types/expression_functions.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/types/expression_functions.ts
index b3c7bca93ca29..f7f7c5bcd1544 100644
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/types/expression_functions.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/common/types/expression_functions.ts
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ export interface LabelsOrientationConfig {
 }
 
 // Arguments to XY chart expression, with computed properties
-export interface XYArgs {
+export interface XYArgs extends DataLayerArgs {
   xTitle: string;
   yTitle: string;
   yRightTitle: string;
@@ -190,7 +190,6 @@ export interface XYArgs {
   endValue?: EndValue;
   emphasizeFitting?: boolean;
   valueLabels: ValueLabelMode;
-  dataLayers: DataLayerConfigResult[];
   referenceLineLayers: ReferenceLineLayerConfigResult[];
   annotationLayers: AnnotationLayerConfigResult[];
   fittingFunction?: FittingFunction;
@@ -385,12 +384,6 @@ export type LayeredXyVisFn = ExpressionFunctionDefinition<
   Promise<XYRender>
 >;
 
-export type DataLayerFn = ExpressionFunctionDefinition<
-  typeof DATA_LAYER,
-  Datatable,
-  DataLayerArgs,
-  DataLayerConfigResult
->;
 export type ExtendedDataLayerFn = ExpressionFunctionDefinition<
   typeof EXTENDED_DATA_LAYER,
   Datatable,
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/public/plugin.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/public/plugin.ts
index 5e68d2c621894..5c27da6b82b28 100755
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/public/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/public/plugin.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import { ExpressionXyPluginSetup, ExpressionXyPluginStart, SetupDeps } from './t
 import {
   xyVisFunction,
   layeredXyVisFunction,
-  dataLayerFunction,
   extendedDataLayerFunction,
   yAxisConfigFunction,
   extendedYAxisConfigFunction,
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ export class ExpressionXyPlugin {
     expressions.registerFunction(extendedYAxisConfigFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(legendConfigFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(gridlinesConfigFunction);
-    expressions.registerFunction(dataLayerFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(extendedDataLayerFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(axisExtentConfigFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(tickLabelsConfigFunction);
diff --git a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/server/plugin.ts b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/server/plugin.ts
index 37252a7296580..cefde5d38a5f4 100755
--- a/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/server/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/chart_expressions/expression_xy/server/plugin.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
   extendedYAxisConfigFunction,
   legendConfigFunction,
   gridlinesConfigFunction,
-  dataLayerFunction,
   axisExtentConfigFunction,
   tickLabelsConfigFunction,
   annotationLayerFunction,
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ export class ExpressionXyPlugin
     expressions.registerFunction(extendedYAxisConfigFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(legendConfigFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(gridlinesConfigFunction);
-    expressions.registerFunction(dataLayerFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(extendedDataLayerFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(axisExtentConfigFunction);
     expressions.registerFunction(tickLabelsConfigFunction);