diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/services/discover_saved_search_container.ts b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/services/discover_saved_search_container.ts
index 422fa787da849..ef88aba74d7db 100644
--- a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/services/discover_saved_search_container.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/main/services/discover_saved_search_container.ts
@@ -318,7 +318,9 @@ function getSearchSourceFieldValueForComparison(
   searchSourceFieldName: keyof SearchSourceFields
 ) {
   if (searchSourceFieldName === 'index') {
-    return searchSource.getField('index')?.id;
+    const query = searchSource.getField('query');
+    // ad-hoc data view id can change, so we rather compare the ES|QL query itself here
+    return query && 'esql' in query ? query.esql : searchSource.getField('index')?.id;
   }
 
   if (searchSourceFieldName === 'filter') {
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/discover/group3/_unsaved_changes_badge.ts b/test/functional/apps/discover/group3/_unsaved_changes_badge.ts
index c931a11f4f5f4..305298ff2ccc6 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/discover/group3/_unsaved_changes_badge.ts
+++ b/test/functional/apps/discover/group3/_unsaved_changes_badge.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { FtrProviderContext } from '../ftr_provider_context';
 
 const SAVED_SEARCH_NAME = 'test saved search';
 const SAVED_SEARCH_WITH_FILTERS_NAME = 'test saved search with filters';
+const SAVED_SEARCH_ESQL = 'test saved search ES|QL';
 
 export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
   const esArchiver = getService('esArchiver');
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
   const testSubjects = getService('testSubjects');
   const dataGrid = getService('dataGrid');
   const filterBar = getService('filterBar');
+  const monacoEditor = getService('monacoEditor');
+  const browser = getService('browser');
   const PageObjects = getPageObjects([
     'settings',
     'common',
@@ -194,5 +197,32 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
       expect(await filterBar.isFilterNegated('bytes')).to.be(false);
       expect(await PageObjects.discover.getHitCount()).to.be('1,373');
     });
+
+    it('should not show a badge after loading an ES|QL saved search, only after changes', async () => {
+      await PageObjects.discover.selectTextBaseLang();
+
+      await monacoEditor.setCodeEditorValue('from logstash-* | limit 10');
+      await testSubjects.click('querySubmitButton');
+      await PageObjects.header.waitUntilLoadingHasFinished();
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitUntilSearchingHasFinished();
+
+      await PageObjects.discover.saveSearch(SAVED_SEARCH_ESQL);
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitUntilSearchingHasFinished();
+
+      await testSubjects.missingOrFail('unsavedChangesBadge');
+
+      await browser.refresh();
+      await PageObjects.header.waitUntilLoadingHasFinished();
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitUntilSearchingHasFinished();
+
+      await testSubjects.missingOrFail('unsavedChangesBadge');
+
+      await monacoEditor.setCodeEditorValue('from logstash-* | limit 100');
+      await testSubjects.click('querySubmitButton');
+      await PageObjects.header.waitUntilLoadingHasFinished();
+      await PageObjects.discover.waitUntilSearchingHasFinished();
+
+      await testSubjects.existOrFail('unsavedChangesBadge');
+    });
   });
 }