diff --git a/js/services.js b/js/services.js
index 101579b4de7..4ad364f744c 100644
--- a/js/services.js
+++ b/js/services.js
@@ -800,6 +800,10 @@ angular.module('kibana.services', [])
     );
   };
 
+  this.elasticsearch_create_index = function () {
+    return ejs.client.post('/'+config.kibana_index);
+  };
+
   this.elasticsearch_delete = function(id) {
     return ejs.Document(config.kibana_index,'dashboard',id).doDelete(
       // Success
diff --git a/panels/dashcontrol/module.js b/panels/dashcontrol/module.js
index 1119943b34b..015898e048a 100644
--- a/panels/dashcontrol/module.js
+++ b/panels/dashcontrol/module.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   * hide_control :: Upon save, hide this panel
   * elasticsearch_size :: show this many dashboards under the ES section in the load drop down
   * temp :: Allow saving of temp dashboards
-  * ttl :: Enable setting ttl. 
+  * ttl :: Enable setting ttl.
   * temp_ttl :: How long should temp dashboards persist
 
 */
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
     services: {}
   };
 
+  function notice(type, title, message) {
+    alertSrv.set(title, message, type, 5000);
+  }
+
   $scope.init = function() {
     $scope.gist_pattern = /(^\d{5,}$)|(^[a-z0-9]{10,}$)|(gist.github.com(\/*.*)\/[a-z0-9]{5,}\/*$)/;
     $scope.gist = {};
@@ -69,17 +73,17 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
 
   $scope.set_default = function() {
     if(dashboard.set_default()) {
-      alertSrv.set('Local Default Set',dashboard.current.title+' has been set as your local default','success',5000);
+      notice('success', 'Local Default Set', dashboard.current.title+' has been set as your local default');
     } else {
-      alertSrv.set('Incompatible Browser','Sorry, your browser is too old for this feature','error',5000);
+      notice('error', 'Incompatible Browser', 'Sorry, your browser is too old for this feature');
     }
   };
 
   $scope.purge_default = function() {
     if(dashboard.purge_default()) {
-      alertSrv.set('Local Default Clear','Your local default dashboard has been cleared','success',5000);
+      notice('success', 'Local Default Clear', 'Your local default dashboard has been cleared');
     } else {
-      alertSrv.set('Incompatible Browser','Sorry, your browser is too old for this feature','error',5000);
+      notice('error', 'Incompatible Browser', 'Sorry, your browser is too old for this feature');
     }
   };
 
@@ -91,13 +95,30 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
     ).then(
       function(result) {
       if(!_.isUndefined(result._id)) {
-        alertSrv.set('Dashboard Saved','This dashboard has been saved to Elasticsearch as "' + 
-          result._id + '"','success',5000);
+        notice(
+          'success',
+          'Dashboard Saved',
+          'This dashboard has been saved to Elasticsearch as "'+result._id + '"'
+        );
         if(type === 'temp') {
-          $scope.share = dashboard.share_link(dashboard.current.title,'temp',result._id);
+          $scope.share = dashboard.share_link(dashboard.current.title, 'temp', result._id);
         }
       } else {
-        alertSrv.set('Save failed','Dashboard could not be saved to Elasticsearch','error',5000);
+        if (result.status === 404) {
+          // auto create must be disabled and the index doesn't exist, create it!
+          return dashboard.elasticsearch_create_index().then(function () {
+            return $scope.elasticsearch_save(type, ttl);
+          }, function () {
+            notice(
+              'error',
+              'Save failed',
+              'Dashboard could not be saved because the "'+config.kibana_index+'" '+
+                'index does not exist and could not be created.'
+            );
+          });
+        } else {
+          notice('error', 'Save failed', 'Dashboard could not be saved to Elasticsearch');
+        }
       }
     });
   };
@@ -107,15 +128,15 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
       function(result) {
         if(!_.isUndefined(result)) {
           if(result.found) {
-            alertSrv.set('Dashboard Deleted',id+' has been deleted','success',5000);
+            notice('success', 'Dashboard Deleted', id+' has been deleted');
             // Find the deleted dashboard in the cached list and remove it
             var toDelete = _.where($scope.elasticsearch.dashboards,{_id:id})[0];
             $scope.elasticsearch.dashboards = _.without($scope.elasticsearch.dashboards,toDelete);
           } else {
-            alertSrv.set('Dashboard Not Found','Could not find '+id+' in Elasticsearch','warning',5000);
+            notice('warning', 'Dashboard Not Found', 'Could not find '+id+' in Elasticsearch');
           }
         } else {
-          alertSrv.set('Dashboard Not Deleted','An error occurred deleting the dashboard','error',5000);
+          notice('error', 'Dashboard Not Deleted', 'An error occurred deleting the dashboard');
         }
       }
     );
@@ -137,10 +158,14 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
       function(link) {
       if(!_.isUndefined(link)) {
         $scope.gist.last = link;
-        alertSrv.set('Gist saved','You will be able to access your exported dashboard file at '+
-          '<a href="'+link+'">'+link+'</a> in a moment','success');
+        notice(
+          'success',
+          'Gist saved',
+          'You will be able to access your exported dashboard file at '+
+            '<a href="'+link+'">'+link+'</a> in a moment'
+        );
       } else {
-        alertSrv.set('Save failed','Gist could not be saved','error',5000);
+        notice('error', 'Save failed', 'Gist could not be saved');
       }
     });
   };
@@ -151,7 +176,7 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
       if(files && files.length > 0) {
         $scope.gist.files = files;
       } else {
-        alertSrv.set('Gist Failed','Could not retrieve dashboard list from gist','error',5000);
+        notice('error', 'Gist Failed', 'Could not retrieve dashboard list from gist',5000);
       }
     });
   };
@@ -183,7 +208,7 @@ angular.module('kibana.dashcontrol', [])
         // Something
         document.getElementById('dashupload').addEventListener('change', file_selected, false);
       } else {
-        alertSrv.set('Oops','Sorry, the HTML5 File APIs are not fully supported in this browser.','error');
+        alertSrv.set('Oops', 'Sorry, the HTML5 File APIs are not fully supported in this browser.', 'error', 5000);
       }
     }
   };