diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 2583e57..4e7d8bb 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -34,6 +34,19 @@ const register = function(server, pluginOptions) {
   };
 
   server.decorate('server', 'search', methods);
+  if (pluginOptions.index) {
+    server.events.on('start', async () => {
+      const indexOpts = {
+        index: pluginOptions.index
+      };
+
+      if (pluginOptions.indexSettings) {
+        indexOpts.settings = pluginOptions.indexSettings;
+      }
+
+      await server.search.createIndexIfNotExists(indexOpts);
+    });
+  }
 };
 
 exports.plugin = {
diff --git a/lib/createIndexIfNotExists.js b/lib/createIndexIfNotExists.js
index 4e37327..9983e47 100644
--- a/lib/createIndexIfNotExists.js
+++ b/lib/createIndexIfNotExists.js
@@ -6,17 +6,21 @@ module.exports = async function(opts) {
   //obj: { index }
   opts.index = opts.index;
 
-  if (options.log || !client) {
-    server.log(['search', 'info'], {
-      message: 'creating index',
-      opts
-    });
-  }
   if (!client) {
     return;
   }
   const indexExists = await client.indices.exists({ index: opts.index });
   if (!indexExists) {
-    await server.search.createIndex({ index: opts.index, log: options.elasticLog });
+    if (options.log || !client) {
+      server.log(['search', 'info'], {
+        message: 'creating index',
+        opts
+      });
+    }
+    const params = { index: opts.index, log: options.elasticLog };
+    if (opts.settings) {
+      params.body = opts.settings;
+    }
+    await server.search.createIndex(params);
   }
 };
diff --git a/test/test.elasticsearch.js b/test/test.elasticsearch.js
index e886e19..52bff40 100644
--- a/test/test.elasticsearch.js
+++ b/test/test.elasticsearch.js
@@ -3,14 +3,15 @@ const Hapi = require('hapi');
 const plugin = require('../index.js');
 
 tap.test('can load plugin', async (t) => {
-  const server = new Hapi.Server({ port: 8080 });
+  const server = new Hapi.Server({ port: 8080, debug: { log: '*' } });
   const host = process.env.ELASTICSEARCH_HOST;
+  const rando = Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000);
   await server.register({
     plugin,
     options: {
       host: `${host}:9200`,
       elasticLog: 'debug',
-      index: 'othertestindx'
+      index: `othertestindx_${rando}`
     }
   });
   await server.start();
@@ -19,6 +20,35 @@ tap.test('can load plugin', async (t) => {
   await server.search.addToIndex({ type: 'doc', id: Math.floor(Math.random() * 10000), data: { tree: 'leafs', gone: 'fork' } });
 
 
+  await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
+  await server.stop();
+
+  t.end();
+});
+
+tap.test('autocreate index with settings', async (t) => {
+  const server = new Hapi.Server({ port: 8080, debug: { log: '*' } });
+  const host = process.env.ELASTICSEARCH_HOST;
+  const rando = Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000);
+  await server.register({
+    plugin,
+    options: {
+      host: `${host}:9200`,
+      elasticLog: 'debug',
+      index: `settingsindex_${rando}`,
+      indexSettings: {
+        settings: {
+          index: {
+            number_of_replicas: 2
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  });
+  await server.start();
+
+  await server.search.addToIndex({ type: 'doc', id: Math.floor(Math.random() * 10000), data: { tree: 'leafs', gone: 'fork' } });
+
   await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
   await server.stop();