diff --git a/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.html b/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.html
index c44694385c961..0982da325518b 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.html
+++ b/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.html
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <div
+  class="doc-table-container"
   ng-if="hits.length"
   ng-class="{ loading: searchSource.activeFetchCount > 0 }">
   <paginate ng-if="!infiniteScroll" list="hits" per-page="50" top-controls="true">
diff --git a/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.less b/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.less
index 1bdaa5c171277..7c3277979640b 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.less
+++ b/src/ui/public/doc_table/doc_table.less
@@ -1,8 +1,20 @@
 @import (reference) "~ui/styles/variables";
 
+/**
+ * 1. Stack content vertically so the table can scroll when its constrained by a fixed container height.
+ */
 doc-table {
   overflow: auto;
   flex: 1 1 100%;
+  flex-direction: column; /* 1 */
+
+  /**
+   * 1. Allow user to scroll table when its constrained by a fixed container height.
+   */
+  .doc-table-container {
+    flex: 1 1 0; /* 1 */
+    overflow: auto; /* 1 */
+  }
 
   .discover-table-datafield {
     white-space: pre-wrap;