diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_security.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_security.ts
index e83eabfb05f44..ff6103f16e494 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_security.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_security.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { FtrProviderContext } from '../../../ftr_provider_context';
 export default function ({ getPageObjects, getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
   const esArchiver = getService('esArchiver');
   const security = getService('security');
+  const kibanaServer = getService('kibanaServer');
   const PageObjects = getPageObjects([
     'common',
     'error',
@@ -24,10 +25,19 @@ export default function ({ getPageObjects, getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
 
   describe('feature controls security', () => {
     before(async () => {
-      await esArchiver.loadIfNeeded('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+      await kibanaServer.importExport.load(
+        'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json'
+      );
       await esArchiver.loadIfNeeded('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/logstash_functional');
     });
 
+    after(async () => {
+      await kibanaServer.importExport.unload(
+        'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json'
+      );
+      await esArchiver.unload('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/logstash_functional');
+    });
+
     describe('global timelion all privileges', () => {
       before(async () => {
         await security.role.create('global_timelion_all_role', {
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_spaces.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_spaces.ts
index 91c357f37085e..a1dea695fce86 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_spaces.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/apps/timelion/feature_controls/timelion_spaces.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export default function ({ getPageObjects, getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
   const spacesService = getService('spaces');
   const PageObjects = getPageObjects(['common', 'timelion', 'security', 'spaceSelector']);
   const appsMenu = getService('appsMenu');
+  const kibanaServer = getService('kibanaServer');
 
   describe('timelion', () => {
     before(async () => {
@@ -23,29 +24,44 @@ export default function ({ getPageObjects, getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
       before(async () => {
         // we need to load the following in every situation as deleting
         // a space deletes all of the associated saved objects
-        await esArchiver.load('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+        // await esArchiver.load('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+        await kibanaServer.importExport.load(
+          'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json'
+        );
+
         await spacesService.create({
           id: 'custom_space',
           name: 'custom_space',
           disabledFeatures: [],
         });
+
+        await kibanaServer.importExport.load(
+          'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/timelion_custom_space.json',
+          { space: 'custom_space' }
+        );
       });
 
       after(async () => {
         await spacesService.delete('custom_space');
-        await esArchiver.unload('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+        await kibanaServer.importExport.unload(
+          'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json'
+        );
       });
 
       it('shows timelion navlink', async () => {
         await PageObjects.common.navigateToApp('home', {
           basePath: '/s/custom_space',
         });
+
         const navLinks = (await appsMenu.readLinks()).map((link) => link.text);
         expect(navLinks).to.contain('Timelion');
       });
 
       it(`allows a timelion sheet to be created`, async () => {
-        await PageObjects.common.navigateToApp('timelion');
+        await PageObjects.common.navigateToApp('timelion', {
+          basePath: '/s/custom_space',
+        });
+
         await PageObjects.timelion.saveTimelionSheet();
       });
     });
@@ -54,17 +70,29 @@ export default function ({ getPageObjects, getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
       before(async () => {
         // we need to load the following in every situation as deleting
         // a space deletes all of the associated saved objects
-        await esArchiver.load('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+        // await esArchiver.load('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+
+        await kibanaServer.importExport.load(
+          'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json'
+        );
+
         await spacesService.create({
           id: 'custom_space',
           name: 'custom_space',
           disabledFeatures: ['timelion'],
         });
+
+        await kibanaServer.importExport.load(
+          'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/timelion_custom_space.json',
+          { space: 'custom_space' }
+        );
       });
 
       after(async () => {
         await spacesService.delete('custom_space');
-        await esArchiver.unload('x-pack/test/functional/es_archives/timelion/feature_controls');
+        await kibanaServer.importExport.unload(
+          'x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json'
+        );
       });
 
       it(`doesn't show timelion navlink`, async () => {
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json b/x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..323dbb67d54b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/feature_controls.json
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+{
+  "attributes": {
+    "buildNum": 9007199254740991,
+    "defaultIndex": "logstash-*"
+  },
+  "coreMigrationVersion": "7.14.0",
+  "id": "7.0.0",
+  "migrationVersion": {
+    "config": "7.13.0"
+  },
+  "references": [],
+  "type": "config",
+  "updated_at": "2019-01-22T19:32:02.235Z",
+  "version": "WzQsMl0="
+}
+
+{
+  "attributes": {
+    "description": "",
+    "hits": 0,
+    "timelion_chart_height": 275,
+    "timelion_columns": 2,
+    "timelion_interval": "auto",
+    "timelion_rows": 2,
+    "timelion_sheet": [
+      ".es(*)"
+    ],
+    "title": "i-exist",
+    "version": 1
+  },
+  "coreMigrationVersion": "7.14.0",
+  "id": "i-exist",
+  "references": [],
+  "type": "timelion-sheet",
+  "version": "WzYsMl0="
+}
+
+{
+  "attributes": {
+    "fields": "[{\"name\":\"@message\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"@message.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"@tags\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"@tags.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"@timestamp\",\"type\":\"date\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"_id\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"_index\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"_score\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":false,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"_source\",\"type\":\"_source\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":false,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"_type\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"agent\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"agent.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"bytes\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"clientip\",\"type\":\"ip\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"extension\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"extension.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"geo.coordinates\",\"type\":\"geo_point\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"geo.dest\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"geo.src\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"geo.srcdest\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"headings\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"headings.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"host\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"host.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"id\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"index\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"index.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"ip\",\"type\":\"ip\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"links\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"links.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"machine.os\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"machine.os.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"machine.ram\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"memory\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"meta.char\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"meta.related\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"meta.user.firstname\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"meta.user.lastname\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"phpmemory\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"referer\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.article:modified_time\",\"type\":\"date\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.article:published_time\",\"type\":\"date\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.article:section\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.article:section.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.article:tag\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.article:tag.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:description\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:description.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:image\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:image.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:image:height\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:image:height.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:image:width\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:image:width.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:site_name\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:site_name.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:title\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:title.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:type\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:type.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:url\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.og:url.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:card\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:card.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:description\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:description.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:image\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:image.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:site\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:site.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:title\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.twitter:title.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.url\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"relatedContent.url.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"request\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"request.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"response\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"response.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"spaces\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"spaces.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"url\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"url.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"utc_time\",\"type\":\"date\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"xss\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":false,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"xss.raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":false,\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":true},{\"name\":\"kilobytes\",\"type\":\"number\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":true,\"script\":\"doc['bytes'].value / 1000\",\"lang\":\"painless\",\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":false},{\"name\":\"machine os raw\",\"type\":\"string\",\"count\":0,\"scripted\":true,\"script\":\"doc['machine.os.raw'].value\",\"lang\":\"painless\",\"searchable\":true,\"aggregatable\":true,\"readFromDocValues\":false}]",
+    "timeFieldName": "@timestamp",
+    "title": "logstash-*"
+  },
+  "coreMigrationVersion": "7.14.0",
+  "id": "logstash-*",
+  "migrationVersion": {
+    "index-pattern": "7.11.0"
+  },
+  "references": [],
+  "type": "index-pattern",
+  "version": "WzUsMl0="
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/timelion_custom_space.json b/x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/timelion_custom_space.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f27149f9d7eb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/fixtures/kbn_archiver/timelion/timelion_custom_space.json
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+  "attributes": {
+    "description": "",
+    "hits": 0,
+    "timelion_chart_height": 275,
+    "timelion_columns": 2,
+    "timelion_interval": "auto",
+    "timelion_rows": 2,
+    "timelion_sheet": [
+      ".es(*).label('custom space sheet')"
+    ],
+    "title": "i-exist",
+    "version": 1
+  },
+  "coreMigrationVersion": "7.14.0",
+  "id": "i-exist",
+  "references": [],
+  "type": "timelion-sheet",
+  "version": "WzcsMl0="
+}
\ No newline at end of file