diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleElasticsearchRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleElasticsearchRepository.java
index 64325d33d..d4993361f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleElasticsearchRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleElasticsearchRepository.java
@@ -83,11 +83,16 @@ public class SimpleElasticsearchRepository<T, ID> implements ElasticsearchReposi
 		this.indexOperations = operations.indexOps(this.entityClass);
 
 		if (!"true".equals(System.getenv("SPRING_DATA_ELASTICSEARCH_SKIP_REPOSITORY_INIT"))) {
-			if (shouldCreateIndexAndMapping() && !indexOperations.exists()) {
-				indexOperations.createWithMapping();
-			} else if (shouldAlwaysWriteMapping()) {
-				indexOperations.putMapping();
-			}
+			createIndexAndMappingIfNeeded();
+		}
+	}
+
+	public void createIndexAndMappingIfNeeded() {
+
+		if (shouldCreateIndexAndMapping() && !indexOperations.exists()) {
+			indexOperations.createWithMapping();
+		} else if (shouldAlwaysWriteMapping()) {
+			indexOperations.putMapping();
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleReactiveElasticsearchRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleReactiveElasticsearchRepository.java
index e780c2d27..4e1aaea80 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleReactiveElasticsearchRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/elasticsearch/repository/support/SimpleReactiveElasticsearchRepository.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public class SimpleReactiveElasticsearchRepository<T, ID> implements ReactiveEla
 		}
 	}
 
-	private void createIndexAndMappingIfNeeded() {
+	public void createIndexAndMappingIfNeeded() {
 
 		var blockingIndexOperations = blocking(indexOperations);