diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/home/index_templates_tab.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/home/index_templates_tab.test.ts
index 06f57896d4900c..37df55f784252c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/home/index_templates_tab.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/home/index_templates_tab.test.ts
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ describe('Index Templates tab', () => {
         const indexTemplate = templates[i];
         const { name, indexPatterns, ilmPolicy, composedOf, template } = indexTemplate;
 
-        const hasContent = !!template.settings || !!template.mappings || !!template.aliases;
+        const hasContent = !!template?.settings || !!template?.mappings || !!template?.aliases;
         const ilmPolicyName = ilmPolicy && ilmPolicy.name ? ilmPolicy.name : '';
         const composedOfString = composedOf ? composedOf.join(',') : '';
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ describe('Index Templates tab', () => {
         const legacyIndexTemplate = legacyTemplates[i];
         const { name, indexPatterns, ilmPolicy, template } = legacyIndexTemplate;
 
-        const hasContent = !!template.settings || !!template.mappings || !!template.aliases;
+        const hasContent = !!template?.settings || !!template?.mappings || !!template?.aliases;
         const ilmPolicyName = ilmPolicy && ilmPolicy.name ? ilmPolicy.name : '';
 
         try {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/index_template_wizard/template_clone.test.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/index_template_wizard/template_clone.test.tsx
index 8b74e9fb0cdf88..f0c0128fd64631 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/index_template_wizard/template_clone.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/__jest__/client_integration/index_template_wizard/template_clone.test.tsx
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ describe('<TemplateClone />', () => {
         name: `${templateToClone.name}-copy`,
         indexPatterns: DEFAULT_INDEX_PATTERNS,
       };
-      // @ts-expect-error
+
       delete expected.template; // As no settings, mappings or aliases have been defined, no "template" param is sent
 
       expect(JSON.parse(JSON.parse(latestRequest.requestBody).body)).toEqual(expected);
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/lib/template_serialization.ts b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/lib/template_serialization.ts
index 1803d89a40016a..bb7604f06c302d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/lib/template_serialization.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/lib/template_serialization.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ export function deserializeTemplateList(
 ): TemplateListItem[] {
   return indexTemplates.map(({ name, index_template: templateSerialized }) => {
     const {
-      template: { mappings, settings, aliases },
+      template: { mappings, settings, aliases } = {},
       ...deserializedTemplate
     } = deserializeTemplate({ name, ...templateSerialized }, cloudManagedTemplatePrefix);
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ export function deserializeLegacyTemplateList(
 ): TemplateListItem[] {
   return Object.entries(indexTemplatesByName).map(([name, templateSerialized]) => {
     const {
-      template: { mappings, settings, aliases },
+      template: { mappings, settings, aliases } = {},
       ...deserializedTemplate
     } = deserializeLegacyTemplate({ name, ...templateSerialized }, cloudManagedTemplatePrefix);
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/types/templates.ts b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/types/templates.ts
index eda00ec8191592..d1b51fe5b89bf1 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/types/templates.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/common/types/templates.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { Mappings } from './mappings';
  */
 export interface TemplateSerialized {
   index_patterns: string[];
-  template: {
+  template?: {
     settings?: IndexSettings;
     aliases?: Aliases;
     mappings?: Mappings;
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export interface TemplateSerialized {
 export interface TemplateDeserialized {
   name: string;
   indexPatterns: string[];
-  template: {
+  template?: {
     settings?: IndexSettings;
     aliases?: Aliases;
     mappings?: Mappings;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/components/template_form/template_form.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/components/template_form/template_form.tsx
index 3a03835e859701..8e84abb5ce4953 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/components/template_form/template_form.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/components/template_form/template_form.tsx
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export const TemplateForm = ({
   };
 
   const {
-    template: { settings, mappings, aliases },
+    template: { settings, mappings, aliases } = {},
     composedOf,
     _kbnMeta,
     ...logistics
@@ -170,18 +170,19 @@ export const TemplateForm = ({
   const cleanupTemplateObject = (template: TemplateDeserialized) => {
     const outputTemplate = { ...template };
 
-    if (outputTemplate.template.settings === undefined) {
-      delete outputTemplate.template.settings;
-    }
-    if (outputTemplate.template.mappings === undefined) {
-      delete outputTemplate.template.mappings;
-    }
-    if (outputTemplate.template.aliases === undefined) {
-      delete outputTemplate.template.aliases;
-    }
-    if (Object.keys(outputTemplate.template).length === 0) {
-      // @ts-expect-error
-      delete outputTemplate.template;
+    if (outputTemplate.template) {
+      if (outputTemplate.template.settings === undefined) {
+        delete outputTemplate.template.settings;
+      }
+      if (outputTemplate.template.mappings === undefined) {
+        delete outputTemplate.template.mappings;
+      }
+      if (outputTemplate.template.aliases === undefined) {
+        delete outputTemplate.template.aliases;
+      }
+      if (Object.keys(outputTemplate.template).length === 0) {
+        delete outputTemplate.template;
+      }
     }
 
     return outputTemplate;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/sections/home/template_list/template_details/template_details_content.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/sections/home/template_list/template_details/template_details_content.tsx
index 94891297c857e0..48083f324de3da 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/sections/home/template_list/template_details/template_details_content.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/index_management/public/application/sections/home/template_list/template_details/template_details_content.tsx
@@ -161,9 +161,7 @@ export const TemplateDetailsContent = ({
     }
 
     if (templateDetails) {
-      const {
-        template: { settings, mappings, aliases },
-      } = templateDetails;
+      const { template: { settings, mappings, aliases } = {} } = templateDetails;
 
       const tabToComponentMap: Record<string, React.ReactNode> = {
         [SUMMARY_TAB_ID]: <TabSummary templateDetails={templateDetails} />,