diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/__tests__/format_csv_values.js b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/__tests__/format_csv_values.js
index e3d588b5f48f1c..748ab54b8592e1 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/__tests__/format_csv_values.js
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/__tests__/format_csv_values.js
@@ -11,7 +11,16 @@ describe('formatCsvValues', function () {
   const separator = ',';
   const fields = ['foo', 'bar'];
   const mockEscapeValue = val => val;
-
+  describe('with _source as one of the fields', function () {
+    const formatsMap = new Map();
+    const formatCsvValues = createFormatCsvValues(mockEscapeValue, separator, ['foo', '_source'], formatsMap);
+    it('should return full _source for _source field', function () {
+      const values = {
+        foo: 'baz',
+      };
+      expect(formatCsvValues(values)).to.be('baz,{"foo":"baz"}');
+    });
+  });
   describe('without field formats', function () {
     const formatsMap = new Map();
     const formatCsvValues = createFormatCsvValues(mockEscapeValue, separator, fields, formatsMap);
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/format_csv_values.js b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/format_csv_values.js
index b54659da617d05..9083e8ce04f88c 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/format_csv_values.js
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/reporting/export_types/csv/server/lib/format_csv_values.js
@@ -10,7 +10,12 @@ export function createFormatCsvValues(escapeValue, separator, fields, formatsMap
   return function formatCsvValues(values) {
     return fields
       .map(field => {
-        const value = values[field];
+        let value;
+        if (field === '_source') {
+          value = values;
+        } else {
+          value = values[field];
+        }
         if (isNull(value) || isUndefined(value)) {
           return '';
         }