diff --git a/src/server/index_patterns/service/lib/errors.js b/src/server/index_patterns/service/lib/errors.js
index 490af62bfa8bf..26d2759f0d24c 100644
--- a/src/server/index_patterns/service/lib/errors.js
+++ b/src/server/index_patterns/service/lib/errors.js
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ export function convertEsError(indices, error) {
     return createNoMatchingIndicesError(indices);
   }
 
+  if (error.isBoom) {
+    return error;
+  }
+
   const statusCode = error.statusCode;
   const message = error.body ? error.body.error : undefined;
   return Boom.boomify(error, { statusCode, message });
diff --git a/test/api_integration/apis/index_patterns/es_errors/errors.js b/test/api_integration/apis/index_patterns/es_errors/errors.js
index fdabf5bea6910..46b7ab75d41fc 100644
--- a/test/api_integration/apis/index_patterns/es_errors/errors.js
+++ b/test/api_integration/apis/index_patterns/es_errors/errors.js
@@ -117,6 +117,17 @@ export default function ({ getService }) {
 
         expect(converted.output.statusCode).to.be(401);
       });
+
+      it('preserves headers from Boom errors', () => {
+        const error = new Error();
+        error.statusCode = 401;
+        const boomError = Boom.boomify(error, { statusCode: error.statusCode });
+        const wwwAuthenticate = 'Basic realm="Authorization Required"';
+        boomError.output.headers['WWW-Authenticate'] = wwwAuthenticate;
+        const converted = convertEsError(indices, boomError);
+
+        expect(converted.output.headers['WWW-Authenticate']).to.be(wwwAuthenticate);
+      });
     });
   });
 }