diff --git a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.html b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.html
index 990e5748415ee..c979dbeaee682 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.html
+++ b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.html
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@
       class="index-pattern-selection"
       ng-model="selectedIndexPattern"
       on-select="setIndexPattern($item)"
-      ng-init="selectedIndexPattern = indexPattern"
     >
       <ui-select-match>
-        {{$select.selected.title}}
+        {{$select.selected.get('title')}}
       </ui-select-match>
       <ui-select-choices repeat="pattern in indexPatternList | filter:$select.search">
         <div ng-bind-html="pattern.get('title') | highlight: $select.search"></div>
diff --git a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.js b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.js
index f7cf3ca89845d..f36af73c6f857 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/discover/components/field_chooser/field_chooser.js
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ app.directive('discFieldChooser', function ($location, globalState, config, $rou
     },
     template: fieldChooserTemplate,
     link: function ($scope) {
+      $scope.selectedIndexPattern = $scope.indexPatternList.find(
+        (pattern) => pattern.id === $scope.indexPattern.id
+      );
       $scope.indexPatternList = _.sortBy($scope.indexPatternList, o => o.get('title'));
       $scope.setIndexPattern = function (pattern) {
         $scope.state.index = pattern.id;