diff --git a/app/services/search/cluster.rb b/app/services/search/cluster.rb
index 290202a11..9f73e019f 100644
--- a/app/services/search/cluster.rb
+++ b/app/services/search/cluster.rb
@@ -9,11 +9,16 @@ module Search
       end
 
       def setup_indexes
+        update_settings
         create_indexes
         add_aliases
         update_mappings
       end
 
+      def update_settings
+        SearchClient.cluster.put_settings(body: default_settings)
+      end
+
       def create_indexes
         SEARCH_CLASSES.each do |search_class|
           next if SearchClient.indices.exists(index: search_class::INDEX_NAME)
@@ -39,6 +44,18 @@ module Search
           search_class.delete_index
         end
       end
+
+      private
+
+      def default_settings
+        {
+          persistent: {
+            action: {
+              auto_create_index: false
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/search.rake b/lib/tasks/search.rake
index bca2f676c..a92458d33 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/search.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/search.rake
@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ namespace :search do
       exit
     end
 
-    Search::Cluster.destroy_indexes
+    SearchClient.indices.delete(index: "*")
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/services/search/cluster_spec.rb b/spec/services/search/cluster_spec.rb
index 123c614b9..8681d9b11 100644
--- a/spec/services/search/cluster_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/search/cluster_spec.rb
@@ -66,4 +66,13 @@ RSpec.describe Search::Cluster, type: :service do
       expect(described_class::SEARCH_CLASSES).to all(have_received(:update_mappings))
     end
   end
+
+  describe "::update_settings" do
+    it "updates cluster settings" do
+      described_class.update_settings
+      cluster_settings = SearchClient.cluster.get_settings
+      auto_create_setting = cluster_settings.dig("persistent", "action", "auto_create_index")
+      expect(auto_create_setting).to eq("false")
+    end
+  end
 end