diff --git a/src/legacy/core_plugins/timelion/index.js b/src/legacy/core_plugins/timelion/index.js
index 6ed30cd6eed7a..d0dd1e7286d29 100644
--- a/src/legacy/core_plugins/timelion/index.js
+++ b/src/legacy/core_plugins/timelion/index.js
@@ -46,26 +46,14 @@ export default function (kibana) {
         main: 'plugins/timelion/app',
       },
       styleSheetPaths: resolve(__dirname, 'public/index.scss'),
-      injectDefaultVars(server) {
-        return {
-          timelionUiEnabled: server.config().get('timelion.ui.enabled'),
-        };
-      },
       hacks: [
         'plugins/timelion/hacks/toggle_app_link_in_nav',
         'plugins/timelion/lib/panel_registry',
         'plugins/timelion/panels/timechart/timechart'
       ],
-      visTypes: [
-        'plugins/timelion/vis'
-      ],
-      interpreter: ['plugins/timelion/timelion_vis_fn'],
-      home: [
-        'plugins/timelion/register_feature'
-      ],
-      mappings: require('./mappings.json'),
-      injectDefaultVars() {
+      injectDefaultVars(server) {
         return {
+          timelionUiEnabled: server.config().get('timelion.ui.enabled'),
           uiCapabilities: {
             timelion: {
               save: true,
@@ -73,6 +61,14 @@ export default function (kibana) {
           }
         };
       },
+      visTypes: [
+        'plugins/timelion/vis'
+      ],
+      interpreter: ['plugins/timelion/timelion_vis_fn'],
+      home: [
+        'plugins/timelion/register_feature'
+      ],
+      mappings: require('./mappings.json'),
       uiSettingDefaults: {
         'timelion:showTutorial': {
           name: i18n.translate('timelion.uiSettings.showTutorialLabel', {
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/config.js b/x-pack/test/functional/config.js
index 314673eb47c61..3373f005f75e9 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/config.js
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/config.js
@@ -191,7 +191,8 @@ export default async function ({ readConfigFile }) {
         '--xpack.xpack_main.telemetry.enabled=false',
         '--xpack.maps.showMapsInspectorAdapter=true',
         '--xpack.security.encryptionKey="wuGNaIhoMpk5sO4UBxgr3NyW1sFcLgIf"', // server restarts should not invalidate active sessions
-        '--xpack.code.security.enableGitCertCheck=false' // Disable git certificate check
+        '--xpack.code.security.enableGitCertCheck=false', // Disable git certificate check
+        '--timelion.ui.enabled=true',
       ],
     },
     uiSettings: {