diff --git a/salt/elasticsearch/defaults.yaml b/salt/elasticsearch/defaults.yaml
index 14d753c21..52521d7e8 100644
--- a/salt/elasticsearch/defaults.yaml
+++ b/salt/elasticsearch/defaults.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 elasticsearch:
   enabled: false
+  esheap: '600m'
   version: 9.3.7
   index_clean: true
   data_retention_method: DLM
diff --git a/salt/vars/elasticsearch.map.jinja b/salt/vars/elasticsearch.map.jinja
index 433b10a3e..ce0f5d951 100644
--- a/salt/vars/elasticsearch.map.jinja
+++ b/salt/vars/elasticsearch.map.jinja
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 {% import 'vars/init.map.jinja' as INIT %}
+{% import_yaml 'elasticsearch/defaults.yaml' as ELASTICSEARCHDEFAULTS %}
 
 {%
   set ELASTICSEARCH_GLOBALS = {
     'elasticsearch': {
       'es_cluster_name': INIT.PILLAR.elasticsearch.config.cluster.name,
-      'es_heap': INIT.PILLAR.elasticsearch.esheap
+      'es_heap': INIT.PILLAR.elasticsearch.get('esheap', ELASTICSEARCHDEFAULTS.elasticsearch.esheap)
     }
   }
 %}