diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/api/connector/update_connector_name_and_description_api_logic.ts b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/api/connector/update_connector_name_and_description_api_logic.ts
index caf19f80f040a..639bd56208546 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/api/connector/update_connector_name_and_description_api_logic.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/api/connector/update_connector_name_and_description_api_logic.ts
@@ -16,17 +16,15 @@ export type PutConnectorNameAndDescriptionArgs = Partial<
   indexName: string;
 };
 
-export type PutConnectorNameAndDescriptionResponse = Partial<
-  Pick<Connector, 'name' | 'description'>
-> & {
+export type PutConnectorNameAndDescriptionResponse = Pick<Connector, 'name' | 'description'> & {
   indexName: string;
 };
 
 export const putConnectorNameAndDescription = async ({
   connectorId,
-  description,
+  description = null,
   indexName,
-  name,
+  name = '',
 }: PutConnectorNameAndDescriptionArgs) => {
   const route = `/internal/enterprise_search/connectors/${connectorId}/name_and_description`;
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/search_index/connector/connector_name_and_description/connector_name_and_description.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/search_index/connector/connector_name_and_description/connector_name_and_description.tsx
index d75482e25e784..9f6c96ce75e0a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/search_index/connector/connector_name_and_description/connector_name_and_description.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/search_index/connector/connector_name_and_description/connector_name_and_description.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export const ConnectorNameAndDescription: React.FC = () => {
                   title: NAME_LABEL,
                 },
                 {
-                  description: description ?? '--',
+                  description: description || '--',
                   title: DESCRIPTION_LABEL,
                 },
               ]}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/server/routes/enterprise_search/connectors.ts b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/server/routes/enterprise_search/connectors.ts
index 0aaf30ef126d4..9663b216ec91c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/server/routes/enterprise_search/connectors.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/server/routes/enterprise_search/connectors.ts
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@ export function registerConnectorRoutes({ router, log }: RouteDependencies) {
           connectorId: schema.string(),
         }),
         body: schema.object({
-          name: schema.maybe(schema.string()),
-          description: schema.maybe(schema.string()),
+          name: schema.string(),
+          description: schema.nullable(schema.string()),
         }),
       },
     },