diff --git a/src/dev/i18n/__fixtures__/test_plugin/test_file.html b/src/dev/i18n/__fixtures__/test_plugin/test_file.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b102216c7d12e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dev/i18n/__fixtures__/test_plugin/test_file.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<p>{{ 'test-plugin.message-id' | i18n: { defaultMessage: 'Message text' } }}</p>
diff --git a/src/dev/i18n/__snapshots__/extract_default_translations.test.js.snap b/src/dev/i18n/__snapshots__/extract_default_translations.test.js.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c507ed25b37a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dev/i18n/__snapshots__/extract_default_translations.test.js.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
+
+exports[`dev/i18n/extract_default_translations injects default formats into en.json 1`] = `
+"{
+  formats: {
+    number: {
+      currency: {
+        style: 'currency',
+      },
+      percent: {
+        style: 'percent',
+      },
+    },
+    date: {
+      short: {
+        month: 'numeric',
+        day: 'numeric',
+        year: '2-digit',
+      },
+      medium: {
+        month: 'short',
+        day: 'numeric',
+        year: 'numeric',
+      },
+      long: {
+        month: 'long',
+        day: 'numeric',
+        year: 'numeric',
+      },
+      full: {
+        weekday: 'long',
+        month: 'long',
+        day: 'numeric',
+        year: 'numeric',
+      },
+    },
+    time: {
+      short: {
+        hour: 'numeric',
+        minute: 'numeric',
+      },
+      medium: {
+        hour: 'numeric',
+        minute: 'numeric',
+        second: 'numeric',
+      },
+      long: {
+        hour: 'numeric',
+        minute: 'numeric',
+        second: 'numeric',
+        timeZoneName: 'short',
+      },
+      full: {
+        hour: 'numeric',
+        minute: 'numeric',
+        second: 'numeric',
+        timeZoneName: 'short',
+      },
+    },
+  },
+  'test-plugin.message-id': 'Message text',
+}
+"
+`;
diff --git a/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.js b/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.js
index d63c7b88092dd..57059ce2e400b 100644
--- a/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.js
+++ b/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 import { resolve } from 'path';
-import { formats } from '@kbn/i18n';
+import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 import JSON5 from 'json5';
 
 import { extractHtmlMessages } from './extract_html_messages';
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ export async function extractDefaultTranslations(inputPath) {
   );
 
   // .slice(0, -1): remove closing curly brace from json to append messages
-  let jsonBuffer = Buffer.from(JSON5.stringify({ formats }, { quote: `'`, space: 2 }).slice(0, -1));
+  let jsonBuffer = Buffer.from(
+    JSON5.stringify({ formats: i18n.formats }, { quote: `'`, space: 2 }).slice(0, -1)
+  );
 
   const defaultMessages = [...defaultMessagesMap].sort(([key1], [key2]) => {
     return key1 < key2 ? -1 : 1;
diff --git a/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.test.js b/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..eb78987e5e75d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dev/i18n/extract_default_translations.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import { resolve } from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs';
+import { promisify } from 'util';
+
+import { extractDefaultTranslations } from './extract_default_translations';
+
+const readFileAsync = promisify(fs.readFile);
+const removeDirAsync = promisify(fs.rmdir);
+const unlinkAsync = promisify(fs.unlink);
+
+const PLUGIN_PATH = resolve(__dirname, '__fixtures__', 'test_plugin');
+
+describe('dev/i18n/extract_default_translations', () => {
+  it('injects default formats into en.json', async () => {
+    await extractDefaultTranslations(PLUGIN_PATH);
+
+    const extractedJSONBuffer = await readFileAsync(
+      resolve(PLUGIN_PATH, 'translations', 'en.json')
+    );
+
+    await unlinkAsync(resolve(PLUGIN_PATH, 'translations', 'en.json'));
+    await removeDirAsync(resolve(PLUGIN_PATH, 'translations'));
+
+    expect(extractedJSONBuffer.toString()).toMatchSnapshot();
+  });
+});