diff --git a/x-pack/lib/license_checker/license_reader.rb b/x-pack/lib/license_checker/license_reader.rb
index be978ae1d06..5da6aad5638 100644
--- a/x-pack/lib/license_checker/license_reader.rb
+++ b/x-pack/lib/license_checker/license_reader.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
 require 'logstash/logging/logger'
 require 'logstash/outputs/elasticsearch'
-require 'logstash/json'
-require 'json'
 
 module LogStash
   module LicenseChecker
@@ -17,8 +15,7 @@ class LicenseReader
       def initialize(settings, feature, options)
         @namespace = "xpack.#{feature}"
         @settings = settings
-        @es_options = options
-        @es_options.merge!("resurrect_delay" => 30)
+        @es_options = options.merge('resurrect_delay' => 30)
       end
 
       ##
@@ -62,8 +59,10 @@ def client
       # # log originate from the `ElasticsearchSource`
       def build_client
         es = LogStash::Outputs::ElasticSearch.new(@es_options)
-        new_logger = logger
-        es.instance_eval { @logger = new_logger }
+        es.instance_variable_set :@logger, logger
+        es.fill_hosts_from_cloud_id
+        es.fill_user_password_from_cloud_auth
+        es.setup_hosts
         es.build_client
       end
 
diff --git a/x-pack/spec/license_checker/license_reader_spec.rb b/x-pack/spec/license_checker/license_reader_spec.rb
index ce52189a6a8..fc25e1de4ba 100644
--- a/x-pack/spec/license_checker/license_reader_spec.rb
+++ b/x-pack/spec/license_checker/license_reader_spec.rb
@@ -3,15 +3,13 @@
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
 
 require "spec_helper"
-require "logstash/json"
+require 'support/helpers'
 require "license_checker/license_reader"
 require "helpers/elasticsearch_options"
 require "monitoring/monitoring"
-require "stud/temporary"
-
 
 describe LogStash::LicenseChecker::LicenseReader do
-  let(:elasticsearch_url) { ["https://localhost:9898"] }
+  let(:elasticsearch_url) { "https://localhost:9898" }
   let(:elasticsearch_username) { "elastictest" }
   let(:elasticsearch_password) { "testchangeme" }
   let(:extension) { LogStash::MonitoringExtension.new }
@@ -25,7 +23,7 @@
   let(:settings) do
     {
       "xpack.monitoring.enabled" => true,
-      "xpack.monitoring.elasticsearch.hosts" => elasticsearch_url,
+      "xpack.monitoring.elasticsearch.hosts" => [ elasticsearch_url ],
       "xpack.monitoring.elasticsearch.username" => elasticsearch_username,
       "xpack.monitoring.elasticsearch.password" => elasticsearch_password,
     }
@@ -101,4 +99,33 @@
       end
     end
   end
+
+  it "builds ES client" do
+    expect( subject.client.options[:hosts].size ).to eql 1
+    expect( subject.client.options[:hosts][0].to_s ).to eql elasticsearch_url # URI#to_s
+    expect( subject.client.options ).to include(:user => elasticsearch_username, :password => elasticsearch_password)
+  end
+
+  context 'with cloud_id' do
+    let(:cloud_id) do
+      'westeurope-1:d2VzdGV1cm9wZS5henVyZS5lbGFzdGljLWNsb3VkLmNvbTo5MjQzJGUxZTYzMTIwMWZiNjRkNTVhNzVmNDMxZWI2MzQ5NTg5JDljYzYwMGUwMGQwYjRhMThiNmY2NmU2ZTcyMTQwODA3'
+    end
+    let(:cloud_auth) do
+      'elastic:LnWMLeK3EQPTf3G3F1IBdFvO'
+    end
+
+    let(:settings) do
+      {
+          "xpack.monitoring.enabled" => true,
+          "xpack.monitoring.elasticsearch.cloud_id" => cloud_id,
+          "xpack.monitoring.elasticsearch.cloud_auth" => cloud_auth
+      }
+    end
+
+    it "builds ES client" do
+      expect( subject.client.options[:hosts].size ).to eql 1
+      expect( subject.client.options[:hosts][0].to_s ).to eql 'https://e1e631201fb64d55a75f431eb6349589.westeurope.azure.elastic-cloud.com:9243'
+      expect( subject.client.options ).to include(:user => 'elastic', :password => 'LnWMLeK3EQPTf3G3F1IBdFvO')
+    end
+  end
 end