diff --git a/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go b/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go
index 4a60a5fa802..25994c211c8 100644
--- a/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go
+++ b/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/config.go
@@ -27,12 +27,10 @@ type config struct {
 func defaultConfig() config {
 	defaultCfgRaw := map[string]interface{}{
 		"type": "container",
-		"containers": map[string]interface{}{
-			"paths": []string{
-				// To be able to use this builder with CRI-O replace paths with:
-				// /var/log/pods/${data.kubernetes.pod.uid}/${data.kubernetes.container.name}/*.log
-				"/var/lib/docker/containers/${data.container.id}/*-json.log",
-			},
+		"paths": []string{
+			// To be able to use this builder with CRI-O replace paths with:
+			// /var/log/pods/${data.kubernetes.pod.uid}/${data.kubernetes.container.name}/*.log
+			"/var/lib/docker/containers/${data.container.id}/*-json.log",
 		},
 	}
 	defaultCfg, _ := common.NewConfigFrom(defaultCfgRaw)
@@ -53,7 +51,16 @@ func (c *config) Unpack(from *common.Config) error {
 	}
 
 	if config, err := from.Child("default_config", -1); err == nil {
-		c.DefaultConfig = config
+		fields := config.GetFields()
+		if len(fields) == 1 && fields[0] == "enabled" {
+			// only enabling/disabling default config:
+			if err := c.DefaultConfig.Merge(config); err != nil {
+				return nil
+			}
+		} else {
+			// full config provided, discard default
+			c.DefaultConfig = config
+		}
 	}
 
 	c.Key = tmpConfig.Key
diff --git a/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs.go b/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs.go
index d1407fa03e1..415bfa3f457 100644
--- a/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs.go
+++ b/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs.go
@@ -88,8 +88,10 @@ func (l *logHints) CreateConfig(event bus.Event) []*common.Config {
 		return []*common.Config{}
 	}
 
-	// Clone original config
+	// Clone original config, enable it if disabled
 	config, _ := common.NewConfigFrom(l.config.DefaultConfig)
+	config.Remove("enabled", -1)
+
 	host, _ := event["host"].(string)
 	if host == "" {
 		return []*common.Config{}
diff --git a/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs_test.go b/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs_test.go
index faa7679caf3..69775d25a19 100644
--- a/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs_test.go
+++ b/filebeat/autodiscover/builder/hints/logs_test.go
@@ -29,14 +29,105 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
+	customCfg := common.MustNewConfigFrom(map[string]interface{}{
+		"default_config": map[string]interface{}{
+			"type": "docker",
+			"containers": map[string]interface{}{
+				"ids": []string{
+					"${data.container.id}",
+				},
+			},
+			"close_timeout": "true",
+		},
+	})
+
+	defaultCfg := common.NewConfig()
+
+	defaultDisabled := common.MustNewConfigFrom(map[string]interface{}{
+		"default_config": map[string]interface{}{
+			"enabled": "false",
+		},
+	})
+
 	tests := []struct {
 		msg    string
+		config *common.Config
 		event  bus.Event
 		len    int
 		result common.MapStr
 	}{
 		{
-			msg: "Hints without host should return nothing",
+			msg:    "Default config is correct",
+			config: defaultCfg,
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
+					"container": common.MapStr{
+						"name": "foobar",
+						"id":   "abc",
+					},
+				},
+				"container": common.MapStr{
+					"name": "foobar",
+					"id":   "abc",
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"paths": []interface{}{"/var/lib/docker/containers/abc/*-json.log"},
+				"type":  "container",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			msg:    "Config disabling works",
+			config: defaultDisabled,
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
+					"container": common.MapStr{
+						"name": "foobar",
+						"id":   "abc",
+					},
+				},
+				"container": common.MapStr{
+					"name": "foobar",
+					"id":   "abc",
+				},
+			},
+			len: 0,
+		},
+		{
+			msg:    "Hint to enable when disabled by default works",
+			config: defaultDisabled,
+			event: bus.Event{
+				"host": "1.2.3.4",
+				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
+					"container": common.MapStr{
+						"name": "foobar",
+						"id":   "abc",
+					},
+				},
+				"container": common.MapStr{
+					"name": "foobar",
+					"id":   "abc",
+				},
+				"hints": common.MapStr{
+					"logs": common.MapStr{
+						"enabled":       "true",
+						"exclude_lines": "^test2, ^test3",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			len: 1,
+			result: common.MapStr{
+				"type":          "container",
+				"paths":         []interface{}{"/var/lib/docker/containers/abc/*-json.log"},
+				"exclude_lines": []interface{}{"^test2", "^test3"},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			msg:    "Hints without host should return nothing",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"hints": common.MapStr{
 					"metrics": common.MapStr{
@@ -48,7 +139,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			result: common.MapStr{},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hints with logs.disable should return nothing",
+			msg:    "Hints with logs.disable should return nothing",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"hints": common.MapStr{
 					"logs": common.MapStr{
@@ -60,7 +152,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			result: common.MapStr{},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Empty event hints should return default config",
+			msg:    "Empty event hints should return default config",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -84,7 +177,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with include|exclude_lines must be part of the input config",
+			msg:    "Hint with include|exclude_lines must be part of the input config",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -116,7 +210,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with multiline config must have a multiline in the input config",
+			msg:    "Hint with multiline config must have a multiline in the input config",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -152,7 +247,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with inputs config as json must be accepted",
+			msg:    "Hint with inputs config as json must be accepted",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -184,7 +280,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with processors config must have a processors in the input config",
+			msg:    "Hint with processors config must have a processors in the input config",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -230,7 +327,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with module should attach input to its filesets",
+			msg:    "Hint with module should attach input to its filesets",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -277,7 +375,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with module should honor defined filesets",
+			msg:    "Hint with module should honor defined filesets",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -325,7 +424,8 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			msg: "Hint with module should honor defined filesets with streams",
+			msg:    "Hint with module should honor defined filesets with streams",
+			config: customCfg,
 			event: bus.Event{
 				"host": "1.2.3.4",
 				"kubernetes": common.MapStr{
@@ -376,25 +476,13 @@ func TestGenerateHints(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
-		cfg, _ := common.NewConfigFrom(map[string]interface{}{
-			"default_config": map[string]interface{}{
-				"type": "docker",
-				"containers": map[string]interface{}{
-					"ids": []string{
-						"${data.container.id}",
-					},
-				},
-				"close_timeout": "true",
-			},
-		})
-
 		// Configure path for modules access
 		abs, _ := filepath.Abs("../../..")
 		err := paths.InitPaths(&paths.Path{
 			Home: abs,
 		})
 
-		l, err := NewLogHints(cfg)
+		l, err := NewLogHints(test.config)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}