diff --git a/group_vars/aws_node_local.yml b/group_vars/aws_node_local.yml
index 732434c..0c60ce6 100644
--- a/group_vars/aws_node_local.yml
+++ b/group_vars/aws_node_local.yml
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ atl_tomcat_secure: "{{ lookup('env', 'ATL_TOMCAT_SECURE') or 'false' }}"
 
 atl_fileserver_host: "{{ lookup('env', 'ATL_FILESERVER_IP') }}"
 atl_elasticsearch_host: "{{ lookup('env', 'ATL_ELASTICSEARCH_HOST') }}"
-atl_elasticsearch_protocol: "{{ lookup('env', 'ATL_ELASTICSEARCH_PROTOCOL') }}"
+atl_elasticsearch_protocol: "{{ lookup('env', 'ATL_ELASTICSEARCH_PROTOCOL') or 'http' }}"
 atl_elasticsearch_endpoint: "{{ atl_elasticsearch_protocol }}://{{ atl_elasticsearch_host }}"
 atl_elasticsearch_s3_bucket: "{{ lookup('env', 'ATL_ELASTICSEARCH_S3_BUCKET') }}"