diff --git a/cmd/bosun/expr/logstash.go b/cmd/bosun/expr/logstash.go
index f25ca6933e..38021f3b5a 100644
--- a/cmd/bosun/expr/logstash.go
+++ b/cmd/bosun/expr/logstash.go
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ func (e *LogstashElasticHosts) GenIndices(r *LogstashRequest) (string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+	// Short-circut when using concrete ES index name
+	if strings.HasSuffix(r.IndexRoot, "/") {
+		return r.IndexRoot[:len(r.IndexRoot)-1], nil
+	}
 	indices, err := lsClient.IndexNames()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -147,7 +151,7 @@ func (e *LogstashElasticHosts) GenIndices(r *LogstashRequest) (string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 	if len(selectedIndices) == 0 {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("no elastic indices available during this time range")
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("no elastic indices available during this time range, index[%s]", r.IndexRoot)
 	}
 	return strings.Join(selectedIndices, ","), nil
 }