diff --git a/src/components/search_bar/query/__snapshots__/ast_to_es_query_dsl.test.ts.snap b/src/components/search_bar/query/__snapshots__/ast_to_es_query_dsl.test.ts.snap
index 6299836a17e..127c7d8bf6a 100644
--- a/src/components/search_bar/query/__snapshots__/ast_to_es_query_dsl.test.ts.snap
+++ b/src/components/search_bar/query/__snapshots__/ast_to_es_query_dsl.test.ts.snap
@@ -11,21 +11,37 @@ Object {
   "bool": Object {
     "must": Array [
       Object {
-        "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "and",
-            "query": "kibana logstash",
-          },
+        "bool": Object {
+          "must": Array [
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "kibana",
+              },
+            },
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "logstash",
+              },
+            },
+          ],
         },
       },
     ],
     "must_not": Array [
       Object {
-        "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "and",
-            "query": "es beats",
-          },
+        "bool": Object {
+          "must": Array [
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "es",
+              },
+            },
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "beats",
+              },
+            },
+          ],
         },
       },
     ],
@@ -44,10 +60,7 @@ Object {
       },
       Object {
         "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "and",
-            "query": "kibana",
-          },
+          "group": "kibana",
         },
       },
       Object {
@@ -70,11 +83,19 @@ Object {
         },
       },
       Object {
-        "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "and",
-            "query": "eng es",
-          },
+        "bool": Object {
+          "must": Array [
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "eng",
+              },
+            },
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "es",
+              },
+            },
+          ],
         },
       },
       Object {
@@ -96,10 +117,7 @@ Object {
       },
       Object {
         "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "and",
-            "query": "kibana",
-          },
+          "group": "kibana",
         },
       },
     ],
@@ -142,10 +160,7 @@ Object {
           "should": Array [
             Object {
               "match": Object {
-                "group": Object {
-                  "operator": "or",
-                  "query": "eng",
-                },
+                "group": "eng",
               },
             },
             Object {
@@ -178,21 +193,26 @@ Object {
         },
       },
       Object {
-        "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "or",
-            "query": "eng es",
-          },
+        "bool": Object {
+          "should": Array [
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "eng",
+              },
+            },
+            Object {
+              "match": Object {
+                "group": "es",
+              },
+            },
+          ],
         },
       },
     ],
     "must_not": Array [
       Object {
         "match": Object {
-          "group": Object {
-            "operator": "and",
-            "query": "kibana",
-          },
+          "group": "kibana",
         },
       },
     ],
@@ -212,10 +232,7 @@ Object {
                 "must": Array [
                   Object {
                     "match": Object {
-                      "name": Object {
-                        "operator": "and",
-                        "query": "john",
-                      },
+                      "name": "john",
                     },
                   },
                 ],
@@ -226,10 +243,7 @@ Object {
                 "must": Array [
                   Object {
                     "match": Object {
-                      "name": Object {
-                        "operator": "and",
-                        "query": "fred",
-                      },
+                      "name": "fred",
                     },
                   },
                 ],
@@ -255,10 +269,7 @@ Object {
                 "must": Array [
                   Object {
                     "match": Object {
-                      "name": Object {
-                        "operator": "and",
-                        "query": "john",
-                      },
+                      "name": "john",
                     },
                   },
                 ],
@@ -414,10 +425,7 @@ Object {
           "must": Array [
             Object {
               "match": Object {
-                "name": Object {
-                  "operator": "and",
-                  "query": "john",
-                },
+                "name": "john",
               },
             },
           ],
diff --git a/src/components/search_bar/query/ast_to_es_query_dsl.ts b/src/components/search_bar/query/ast_to_es_query_dsl.ts
index b863d25d685..9b2c89c36f4 100644
--- a/src/components/search_bar/query/ast_to_es_query_dsl.ts
+++ b/src/components/search_bar/query/ast_to_es_query_dsl.ts
@@ -6,19 +6,19 @@
  * Side Public License, v 1.
  */
 
-import { printIso8601 } from './date_format';
-import { isDateValue, dateValue, DateValue } from './date_value';
+import { isArray, isDateLike, isString } from '../../../services/predicate';
+import { keysOf } from '../../common';
 import {
-  _AST,
   AST,
   FieldClause,
   IsClause,
   OperatorType,
   TermClause,
   Value,
+  _AST,
 } from './ast';
-import { isArray, isDateLike, isString } from '../../../services/predicate';
-import { keysOf } from '../../common';
+import { printIso8601 } from './date_format';
+import { dateValue, DateValue, isDateValue } from './date_value';
 
 export interface QueryContainer {
   bool?: BoolQuery;
@@ -140,15 +140,16 @@ export const _fieldValuesToQuery = (
           }
         });
 
-        if (terms.length > 0) {
+        if (terms.length > 1) {
           queries.push({
-            match: {
-              [field]: {
-                query: terms.join(' '),
-                operator: andOr,
-              },
+            bool: {
+              [andOr === 'and' ? 'must' : 'should']: [
+                ...terms.map((value) => ({ match: { [field]: value } })),
+              ],
             },
           });
+        } else if (terms.length === 1) {
+          queries.push({ match: { [field]: terms[0] } });
         }
 
         if (phrases.length > 0) {
diff --git a/upcoming_changelogs/6220.md b/upcoming_changelogs/6220.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1ca89026391
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upcoming_changelogs/6220.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+**Bug fixes**
+
+- Fixed `Query.toESQuery()` to generate bool queries instead of relying on match query logic, to work with non-text fields