diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
index 6b8403b74a759..28786530db018 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/common/types/models/epm.ts
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ export interface RegistryVarsEntry {
   description?: string;
   type: string;
   required?: boolean;
+  show_user?: boolean;
   multi?: boolean;
   default?: string | string[];
   os?: {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_config.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_config.tsx
index 39f2f048ab88d..69d2194638441 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_config.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_config.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   EuiTitle,
 } from '@elastic/eui';
 import { DatasourceInput, RegistryVarsEntry } from '../../../../types';
+import { isAdvancedVar } from '../services';
 import { DatasourceInputVarField } from './datasource_input_var_field';
 
 export const DatasourceInputConfig: React.FunctionComponent<{
@@ -30,10 +31,10 @@ export const DatasourceInputConfig: React.FunctionComponent<{
 
   if (packageInputVars) {
     packageInputVars.forEach(varDef => {
-      if (varDef.required && !varDef.default) {
-        requiredVars.push(varDef);
-      } else {
+      if (isAdvancedVar(varDef)) {
         advancedVars.push(varDef);
+      } else {
+        requiredVars.push(varDef);
       }
     });
   }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_stream_config.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_stream_config.tsx
index e4b138932cb53..1f483f1911bcc 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_stream_config.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/components/datasource_input_stream_config.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   EuiButtonEmpty,
 } from '@elastic/eui';
 import { DatasourceInputStream, RegistryStream, RegistryVarsEntry } from '../../../../types';
+import { isAdvancedVar } from '../services';
 import { DatasourceInputVarField } from './datasource_input_var_field';
 
 export const DatasourceInputStreamConfig: React.FunctionComponent<{
@@ -31,10 +32,10 @@ export const DatasourceInputStreamConfig: React.FunctionComponent<{
 
   if (packageInputStream.vars && packageInputStream.vars.length) {
     packageInputStream.vars.forEach(varDef => {
-      if (varDef.required && !varDef.default) {
-        requiredVars.push(varDef);
-      } else {
+      if (isAdvancedVar(varDef)) {
         advancedVars.push(varDef);
+      } else {
+        requiredVars.push(varDef);
       }
     });
   }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..44e5bfa41cb9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+export { isAdvancedVar } from './is_advanced_var';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/is_advanced_var.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/is_advanced_var.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..67796d69863fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/is_advanced_var.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+import { isAdvancedVar } from './is_advanced_var';
+
+describe('Ingest Manager - isAdvancedVar', () => {
+  it('returns true for vars that should be show under advanced options', () => {
+    expect(
+      isAdvancedVar({
+        name: 'mock_var',
+        type: 'text',
+        required: true,
+        default: 'default string',
+      })
+    ).toBe(true);
+
+    expect(
+      isAdvancedVar({
+        name: 'mock_var',
+        type: 'text',
+        default: 'default string',
+      })
+    ).toBe(true);
+
+    expect(
+      isAdvancedVar({
+        name: 'mock_var',
+        type: 'text',
+      })
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('returns false for vars that should be show by default', () => {
+    expect(
+      isAdvancedVar({
+        name: 'mock_var',
+        type: 'text',
+        required: true,
+        default: 'default string',
+        show_user: true,
+      })
+    ).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(
+      isAdvancedVar({
+        name: 'mock_var',
+        type: 'text',
+        required: true,
+      })
+    ).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(
+      isAdvancedVar({
+        name: 'mock_var',
+        type: 'text',
+        show_user: true,
+      })
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/is_advanced_var.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/is_advanced_var.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..398f1d675c5df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ingest_manager/public/applications/ingest_manager/sections/agent_config/create_datasource_page/services/is_advanced_var.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+import { RegistryVarsEntry } from '../../../../types';
+
+export const isAdvancedVar = (varDef: RegistryVarsEntry): boolean => {
+  if (varDef.show_user || (varDef.required && !varDef.default)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+};