diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/angular/discover.js b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/angular/discover.js
index 6bf4b42540339..5399a593cae74 100644
--- a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/angular/discover.js
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/angular/discover.js
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ const {
 } = getServices();
 
 import { getRootBreadcrumbs, getSavedSearchBreadcrumbs } from '../helpers/breadcrumbs';
+import { validateTimeRange } from '../helpers/validate_time_range';
 import {
   esFilters,
   fieldFormats,
@@ -782,7 +783,7 @@ function discoverController(
     if (!init.complete) return;
     $scope.fetchCounter++;
     $scope.fetchError = undefined;
-    if (!validateTimeRange()) {
+    if (!validateTimeRange(timefilter.getTime(), toastNotifications)) {
       $scope.resultState = 'none';
       return;
     }
@@ -917,26 +918,6 @@ function discoverController(
     });
   }
 
-  function validateTimeRange() {
-    const { from, to } = timefilter.getTime();
-    if (!from || !to || !dateMath.parse(from) || !dateMath.parse(to)) {
-      toastNotifications.addDanger({
-        title: i18n.translate('discover.notifications.invalidTimeRangeTitle', {
-          defaultMessage: `Invalid time range`,
-        }),
-        text: i18n.translate('discover.notifications.invalidTimeRangeText', {
-          defaultMessage: `The provided time range is invalid. (from: '{from}', to: '{to}')`,
-          values: {
-            from,
-            to,
-          },
-        }),
-      });
-      return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-  }
-
   $scope.updateTime = function () {
     const { from, to } = timefilter.getTime();
     // this is the timerange for the histogram, should be refactored
diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/helpers/validate_time_range.test.ts b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/helpers/validate_time_range.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..a61a729caa22b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/helpers/validate_time_range.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import { validateTimeRange } from './validate_time_range';
+import { notificationServiceMock } from '../../../../../core/public/mocks';
+
+describe('Discover validateTimeRange', () => {
+  test('validates given time ranges correctly', async () => {
+    const { toasts } = notificationServiceMock.createStartContract();
+    [
+      { from: '', to: '', result: false },
+      { from: 'now', to: 'now+1h', result: true },
+      { from: 'now', to: 'lala+1h', result: false },
+      { from: '', to: 'now', result: false },
+      { from: 'now', to: '', result: false },
+      { from: ' 2020-06-02T13:36:13.689Z', to: 'now', result: true },
+      { from: ' 2020-06-02T13:36:13.689Z', to: '2020-06-02T13:36:13.690Z', result: true },
+    ].map((test) => {
+      expect(validateTimeRange({ from: test.from, to: test.to }, toasts)).toEqual(test.result);
+    });
+  });
+
+  test('displays a toast when invalid data is entered', async () => {
+    const { toasts } = notificationServiceMock.createStartContract();
+    expect(validateTimeRange({ from: 'now', to: 'null' }, toasts)).toEqual(false);
+    expect(toasts.addDanger).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      title: 'Invalid time range',
+      text: "The provided time range is invalid. (from: 'now', to: 'null')",
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/helpers/validate_time_range.ts b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/helpers/validate_time_range.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..411147f827333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/helpers/validate_time_range.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+import dateMath from '@elastic/datemath';
+import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
+import { ToastsStart } from 'kibana/public';
+
+/**
+ * Validates a given time filter range, provided by URL or UI
+ * Unless valid, it returns false and displays a notification
+ */
+export function validateTimeRange(
+  { from, to }: { from: string; to: string },
+  toastNotifications: ToastsStart
+): boolean {
+  const fromMoment = dateMath.parse(from);
+  const toMoment = dateMath.parse(to);
+  if (!fromMoment || !toMoment || !fromMoment.isValid() || !toMoment.isValid()) {
+    toastNotifications.addDanger({
+      title: i18n.translate('discover.notifications.invalidTimeRangeTitle', {
+        defaultMessage: `Invalid time range`,
+      }),
+      text: i18n.translate('discover.notifications.invalidTimeRangeText', {
+        defaultMessage: `The provided time range is invalid. (from: '{from}', to: '{to}')`,
+        values: {
+          from,
+          to,
+        },
+      }),
+    });
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/discover/_discover.js b/test/functional/apps/discover/_discover.js
index ecaa5aa2da97f..de9606f3d02ed 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/discover/_discover.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/discover/_discover.js
@@ -257,5 +257,16 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
         expect(refreshedTimeString).not.to.be(initialTimeString);
       });
     });
+
+    describe('invalid time range in URL', function () {
+      it('should display a "Invalid time range toast"', async function () {
+        await PageObjects.common.navigateToUrl('discover', '#/?_g=(time:(from:now-15m,to:null))', {
+          useActualUrl: true,
+        });
+        await PageObjects.header.awaitKibanaChrome();
+        const toastMessage = await PageObjects.common.closeToast();
+        expect(toastMessage).to.be('Invalid time range');
+      });
+    });
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
index d08e88ecf47ea..439973aed23d4 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ export function CommonPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderCo
       const toast = await find.byCssSelector('.euiToast', 2 * defaultFindTimeout);
       await toast.moveMouseTo();
       const title = await (await find.byCssSelector('.euiToastHeader__title')).getVisibleText();
-      log.debug(`Toast title: ${title}`);
+
       await find.clickByCssSelector('.euiToast__closeButton');
       return title;
     }