diff --git a/src/plugins/discover/public/application/angular/discover.js b/src/plugins/discover/public/application/angular/discover.js
index 65868b0b7cd46..f7f88603b8332 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,
   indexPatterns as indexPatternsUtils,
@@ -784,6 +785,10 @@ function discoverController(
     if (!init.complete) return;
     $scope.fetchCounter++;
     $scope.fetchError = undefined;
+    if (!validateTimeRange(timefilter.getTime(), toastNotifications)) {
+      $scope.resultState = 'none';
+      return;
+    }
 
     // Abort any in-progress requests before fetching again
     if (abortController) abortController.abort();
@@ -916,14 +921,18 @@ function discoverController(
   }
 
   $scope.updateTime = function () {
-    //this is the timerange for the histogram, should be refactored
+    const { from, to } = timefilter.getTime();
+    // this is the timerange for the histogram, should be refactored
     $scope.timeRange = {
-      from: dateMath.parse(timefilter.getTime().from),
-      to: dateMath.parse(timefilter.getTime().to, { roundUp: true }),
+      from: dateMath.parse(from),
+      to: dateMath.parse(to, { roundUp: true }),
     };
   };
 
   $scope.toMoment = function (datetime) {
+    if (!datetime) {
+      return;
+    }
     return moment(datetime).format(config.get('dateFormat'));
   };
 
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 236b2fb9f2f1e..8c5a99204bab6 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.ts
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ 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;
     }