diff --git a/config/serverless.es.yml b/config/serverless.es.yml
index 4261f29488002..ade2b7da90270 100644
--- a/config/serverless.es.yml
+++ b/config/serverless.es.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ xpack.cloud.serverless.project_type: search
 
 ## Enable the Serverless Search plugin
 xpack.serverless.search.enabled: true
+xpack.searchIndices.enabled: true
 
 ## Set the home route
 uiSettings.overrides.defaultRoute: /app/elasticsearch
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/common/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/common/index.ts
index e640397e3936d..3b8ffc5081261 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/common/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/common/index.ts
@@ -12,4 +12,6 @@ export const PLUGIN_NAME = 'searchIndices';
 export const START_APP_ID: SearchStart = 'elasticsearchStart';
 export const INDICES_APP_ID: SearchIndices = 'elasticsearchIndices';
 
+export const GLOBAL_EMPTY_STATE_FEATURE_FLAG_ID = 'searchIndices:globalEmptyStateEnabled';
+
 export type { IndicesStatusResponse, UserStartPrivilegesResponse } from './types';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/feature_flags.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ec114506d4f8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/feature_flags.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * 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; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+import { IUiSettingsClient } from '@kbn/core/public';
+import { GLOBAL_EMPTY_STATE_FEATURE_FLAG_ID } from '../common';
+
+export function isGlobalEmptyStateEnabled(uiSettings: IUiSettingsClient): boolean {
+  return uiSettings.get<boolean>(GLOBAL_EMPTY_STATE_FEATURE_FLAG_ID, false);
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/plugin.ts
index 39c3151cf7615..5772115198edf 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/search_indices/public/plugin.ts
@@ -18,13 +18,25 @@ import type {
 import { initQueryClient } from './services/query_client';
 import { INDICES_APP_ID, START_APP_ID } from '../common';
 import { INDICES_APP_BASE, START_APP_BASE } from './routes';
+import { isGlobalEmptyStateEnabled } from './feature_flags';
 
 export class SearchIndicesPlugin
   implements Plugin<SearchIndicesPluginSetup, SearchIndicesPluginStart>
 {
+  private pluginEnabled: boolean = false;
+
   public setup(
     core: CoreSetup<SearchIndicesAppPluginStartDependencies, SearchIndicesPluginStart>
   ): SearchIndicesPluginSetup {
+    if (!isGlobalEmptyStateEnabled(core.uiSettings)) {
+      return {
+        enabled: this.pluginEnabled,
+        startAppId: START_APP_ID,
+        startRoute: START_APP_BASE,
+      };
+    }
+    this.pluginEnabled = true;
+
     const queryClient = initQueryClient(core.notifications.toasts);
 
     core.application.register({
@@ -72,7 +84,7 @@ export class SearchIndicesPlugin
   public start(core: CoreStart): SearchIndicesPluginStart {
     docLinks.setDocLinks(core.docLinks.links);
     return {
-      enabled: true,
+      enabled: this.pluginEnabled,
       startAppId: START_APP_ID,
       startRoute: START_APP_BASE,
     };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/serverless_search/public/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/serverless_search/public/plugin.ts
index 211a1cb2384d2..c223b9a6b11db 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/serverless_search/public/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/serverless_search/public/plugin.ts
@@ -159,7 +159,10 @@ export class ServerlessSearchPlugin
     serverless.setProjectHome(homeRoute);
 
     const navigationTree$ = of(
-      navigationTree(services.searchIndices?.startAppId, useGlobalEmptyState)
+      navigationTree(
+        useGlobalEmptyState ? services.searchIndices?.startAppId : undefined,
+        useGlobalEmptyState
+      )
     );
     serverless.initNavigation('search', navigationTree$, { dataTestSubj: 'svlSearchSideNav' });
 
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
index ebd539fd34f42..85724f48d38cc 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     `--xpack.cloud.organization_url=/account/members`,
     `--xpack.security.roleManagementEnabled=true`,
     `--xpack.spaces.maxSpaces=100`, // enables spaces UI capabilities
-    `--xpack.searchIndices.enabled=true`, // global empty state FF
+    `--uiSettings.overrides.searchIndices:globalEmptyStateEnabled=true`, // global empty state FF
   ],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],