diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/qa/common/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/eql/CommonEqlActionTestCase.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/qa/common/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/eql/CommonEqlActionTestCase.java
index 6c6328528a1..60e72d1e2d3 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/qa/common/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/eql/CommonEqlActionTestCase.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/qa/common/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/eql/CommonEqlActionTestCase.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ package org.elasticsearch.test.eql;
 import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.annotations.ParametersFactory;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.Build;
+import org.elasticsearch.client.EqlClient;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.Request;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.RequestOptions;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.RestHighLevelClient;
@@ -51,8 +52,8 @@ public abstract class CommonEqlActionTestCase extends ESRestTestCase {
 
     @After
     public void cleanup() throws Exception {
-        if (--counter == 0) {  
-            deleteIndex(testIndexName); 
+        if (--counter == 0) {
+            deleteIndex(testIndexName);
         }
     }
 
@@ -143,7 +144,11 @@ public abstract class CommonEqlActionTestCase extends ESRestTestCase {
         EqlSearchRequest request = new EqlSearchRequest(testIndexName, query);
         request.isCaseSensitive(isCaseSensitive);
         request.tiebreakerField("event.sequence");
-        return highLevelClient().eql().search(request, RequestOptions.DEFAULT);
+        return eqlClient().search(request, RequestOptions.DEFAULT);
+    }
+
+    private EqlClient eqlClient() {
+        return highLevelClient().eql();
     }
 
     protected void assertSearchHits(List<SearchHit> events) {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/action/RequestDefaults.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/action/RequestDefaults.java
index e5159169514..6f66c621a91 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/action/RequestDefaults.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/action/RequestDefaults.java
@@ -14,5 +14,5 @@ public final class RequestDefaults {
     public static final String FIELD_EVENT_CATEGORY = "event.category";
     public static final String FIELD_IMPLICIT_JOIN_KEY = "agent.id";
 
-    public static int FETCH_SIZE = 50;
+    public static int FETCH_SIZE = 10;
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanBuilder.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanBuilder.java
index e6252f548ed..c43b36bee55 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanBuilder.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanBuilder.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.parser.EqlBaseParser.SubqueryContext;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Head;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Join;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.KeyedFilter;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.LimitWithOffset;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Sequence;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Tail;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.physical.LocalRelation;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Expression;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Expressions;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Literal;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Order;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Order.NullsPosition;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Order.OrderDirection;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.UnresolvedAttribute;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.predicate.logical.And;
@@ -55,24 +57,26 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import static java.util.Arrays.asList;
 import static java.util.Collections.emptyList;
 import static java.util.Collections.singletonList;
+import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.tree.Source.synthetic;
 
 public abstract class LogicalPlanBuilder extends ExpressionBuilder {
 
     private static final Set<String> SUPPORTED_PIPES = Sets.newHashSet("count", "filter", "head", "sort", "tail", "unique", "unique_count");
 
-    private final UnresolvedRelation RELATION = new UnresolvedRelation(Source.EMPTY, null, "", false, "");
-    private final EmptyAttribute UNSPECIFIED_FIELD = new EmptyAttribute(Source.EMPTY);
+    private final UnresolvedRelation RELATION = new UnresolvedRelation(synthetic("<relation>"), null, "", false, "");
+    private final EmptyAttribute UNSPECIFIED_FIELD = new EmptyAttribute(synthetic("<unspecified>"));
 
     public LogicalPlanBuilder(ParserParams params) {
         super(params);
     }
 
     private Attribute fieldTimestamp() {
-        return new UnresolvedAttribute(Source.EMPTY, params.fieldTimestamp());
+        return new UnresolvedAttribute(synthetic("<timestamp>"), params.fieldTimestamp());
     }
 
     private Attribute fieldTiebreaker() {
-        return params.fieldTiebreaker() != null ? new UnresolvedAttribute(Source.EMPTY, params.fieldTiebreaker()) : UNSPECIFIED_FIELD;
+        return params.fieldTiebreaker() != null ?
+                new UnresolvedAttribute(synthetic("<tiebreaker>"), params.fieldTiebreaker()) : UNSPECIFIED_FIELD;
     }
 
     private OrderDirection defaultDirection() {
@@ -84,19 +88,49 @@ public abstract class LogicalPlanBuilder extends ExpressionBuilder {
         LogicalPlan plan = plan(ctx.query());
 
         // the first pipe will be the implicit order
+        boolean asc = defaultDirection() == OrderDirection.ASC;
+        NullsPosition position = asc ? NullsPosition.FIRST : NullsPosition.LAST;
+
         List<Order> orders = new ArrayList<>(2);
-        Source source = plan.source();
-        orders.add(new Order(source, fieldTimestamp(), defaultDirection(), Order.NullsPosition.FIRST));
+        Source defaultOrderSource = synthetic("<default-order>");
+        orders.add(new Order(defaultOrderSource, fieldTimestamp(), defaultDirection(), position));
         // make sure to add the tiebreaker as well
         Attribute tiebreaker = fieldTiebreaker();
         if (Expressions.isPresent(tiebreaker)) {
-            orders.add(new Order(source, tiebreaker, defaultDirection(), Order.NullsPosition.FIRST));
+            orders.add(new Order(defaultOrderSource, tiebreaker, defaultDirection(), position));
         }
-        plan = new OrderBy(source, plan, orders);
-        // add the actual declared pipes
+        plan = new OrderBy(defaultOrderSource, plan, orders);
+
+        // add the default limit only if specified
+        Literal defaultSize = new Literal(synthetic("<default-size>"), params.fetchSize(), DataTypes.INTEGER);
+        Source defaultLimitSource = synthetic("<default-limit>");
+
+        LogicalPlan previous = plan;
+        boolean missingLimit = true;
+
         for (PipeContext pipeCtx : ctx.pipe()) {
-            plan = pipe(pipeCtx, plan);
+            plan = pipe(pipeCtx, previous);
+            if (missingLimit && plan instanceof LimitWithOffset) {
+                missingLimit = false;
+                if (plan instanceof Head) {
+                    previous = new Head(defaultLimitSource, defaultSize, previous);
+                } else {
+                    previous = new Tail(defaultLimitSource, defaultSize, previous);
+                }
+                plan = plan.replaceChildren(singletonList(previous));
+            }
+            previous = plan;
         }
+
+        // add limit based on the default order if no tail/head was specified
+        if (missingLimit) {
+            if (asc) {
+                plan = new Head(defaultLimitSource, defaultSize, plan);
+            } else {
+                plan = new Tail(defaultLimitSource, defaultSize, plan);
+            }
+        }
+
         return plan;
     }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/ParserParams.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/ParserParams.java
index 76bc47e8abb..56a9aa367bc 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/ParserParams.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/ParserParams.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import java.time.ZoneId;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import static java.util.Collections.emptyList;
+import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.action.RequestDefaults.FETCH_SIZE;
 import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.action.RequestDefaults.FIELD_EVENT_CATEGORY;
 import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.action.RequestDefaults.FIELD_IMPLICIT_JOIN_KEY;
 import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.action.RequestDefaults.FIELD_TIMESTAMP;
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ public class ParserParams {
     private String fieldTimestamp = FIELD_TIMESTAMP;
     private String fieldTiebreaker = null;
     private String implicitJoinKey = FIELD_IMPLICIT_JOIN_KEY;
+    private int fetchSize = FETCH_SIZE;
     private List<Object> queryParams = emptyList();
 
     public ParserParams(ZoneId zoneId) {
@@ -63,6 +65,15 @@ public class ParserParams {
         return this;
     }
 
+    public int fetchSize() {
+        return fetchSize;
+    }
+
+    public ParserParams fetchSize(int fetchSize) {
+        this.fetchSize = fetchSize;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     public List<Object> params() {
         return queryParams;
     }
@@ -75,4 +86,4 @@ public class ParserParams {
     public ZoneId zoneId() {
         return zoneId;
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/plugin/TransportEqlSearchAction.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/plugin/TransportEqlSearchAction.java
index 51b41f74808..e9544c76abc 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/plugin/TransportEqlSearchAction.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/plugin/TransportEqlSearchAction.java
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ public class TransportEqlSearchAction extends HandledTransportAction<EqlSearchRe
             .fieldEventCategory(request.eventCategoryField())
             .fieldTimestamp(request.timestampField())
             .fieldTiebreaker(request.tiebreakerField())
-            .implicitJoinKey(request.implicitJoinKeyField());
+            .implicitJoinKey(request.implicitJoinKeyField())
+            .fetchSize(request.fetchSize());
 
         EqlConfiguration cfg = new EqlConfiguration(request.indices(), zoneId, username, clusterName, filter, timeout, request.fetchSize(),
             includeFrozen, request.isCaseSensitive(), clientId, new TaskId(nodeId, task.getId()), task);
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/optimizer/OptimizerTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/optimizer/OptimizerTests.java
index 5a32e2c8f0e..e1c25f3e30e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/optimizer/OptimizerTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/optimizer/OptimizerTests.java
@@ -87,9 +87,7 @@ public class OptimizerTests extends ESTestCase {
         );
 
         for (String q : tests) {
-            LogicalPlan plan = accept(q);
-            assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
-            plan = ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+            LogicalPlan plan = defaultPipes(accept(q));
             assertTrue(plan instanceof Project);
             plan = ((Project) plan).child();
 
@@ -110,9 +108,7 @@ public class OptimizerTests extends ESTestCase {
         );
 
         for (String q : tests) {
-            LogicalPlan plan = accept(q);
-            assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
-            plan = ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+            LogicalPlan plan = defaultPipes(accept(q));
             assertTrue(plan instanceof Project);
             plan = ((Project) plan).child();
             assertTrue(plan instanceof Filter);
@@ -133,9 +129,7 @@ public class OptimizerTests extends ESTestCase {
         );
 
         for (String q : tests) {
-            LogicalPlan plan = accept(q);
-            assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
-            plan = ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+            LogicalPlan plan = defaultPipes(accept(q));
             assertTrue(plan instanceof Project);
             plan = ((Project) plan).child();
             assertTrue(plan instanceof Filter);
@@ -159,9 +153,7 @@ public class OptimizerTests extends ESTestCase {
         );
 
         for (String q : tests) {
-            LogicalPlan plan = accept(q);
-            assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
-            plan = ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+            LogicalPlan plan = defaultPipes(accept(q));
             assertTrue(plan instanceof Project);
             plan = ((Project) plan).child();
 
@@ -181,9 +173,7 @@ public class OptimizerTests extends ESTestCase {
     }
 
     public void testWildcardEscapes() {
-        LogicalPlan plan = accept("foo where command_line == '* %bar_ * \\\\ \\n \\r \\t'");
-        assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
-        plan = ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+        LogicalPlan plan = defaultPipes(accept("foo where command_line == '* %bar_ * \\\\ \\n \\r \\t'"));
         assertTrue(plan instanceof Project);
         plan = ((Project) plan).child();
         assertTrue(plan instanceof Filter);
@@ -306,4 +296,11 @@ public class OptimizerTests extends ESTestCase {
         Order order = orderBy.order().get(0);
         assertEquals(direction, order.direction());
     }
+
+    private LogicalPlan defaultPipes(LogicalPlan plan) {
+        assertTrue(plan instanceof LimitWithOffset);
+        plan = ((LimitWithOffset) plan).child();
+        assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
+        return ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanTests.java
index cb081954414..7621ab62e90 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/eql/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/eql/parser/LogicalPlanTests.java
@@ -8,12 +8,16 @@ package org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.parser;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.common.unit.TimeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.action.RequestDefaults;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Head;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Join;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.KeyedFilter;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.LimitWithOffset;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.logical.Sequence;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.eql.plan.physical.LocalRelation;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Attribute;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Expression;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Literal;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.NamedExpression;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Order;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.expression.Order.NullsPosition;
@@ -25,6 +29,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.plan.logical.OrderBy;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.plan.logical.Project;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.plan.logical.UnresolvedRelation;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.tree.Source;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ql.type.DataTypes;
 
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -52,22 +57,14 @@ public class LogicalPlanTests extends ESTestCase {
         LogicalPlan fullQuery = parser.createStatement("any where process_name == 'net.exe'");
         Expression fullExpression = expr("process_name == 'net.exe'");
 
-        LogicalPlan filter = new Filter(Source.EMPTY, relation(), fullExpression);
-        Order order = new Order(Source.EMPTY, timestamp(), OrderDirection.ASC, NullsPosition.FIRST);
-        LogicalPlan project = new Project(Source.EMPTY, filter, singletonList(timestamp()));
-        LogicalPlan sorted = new OrderBy(Source.EMPTY, project, singletonList(order));
-        assertEquals(sorted, fullQuery);
+        assertEquals(wrapFilter(fullExpression), fullQuery);
     }
 
     public void testEventQuery() {
         LogicalPlan fullQuery = parser.createStatement("process where process_name == 'net.exe'");
         Expression fullExpression = expr("event.category == 'process' and process_name == 'net.exe'");
 
-        LogicalPlan filter = new Filter(Source.EMPTY, relation(), fullExpression);
-        Order order = new Order(Source.EMPTY, timestamp(), OrderDirection.ASC, NullsPosition.FIRST);
-        LogicalPlan project = new Project(Source.EMPTY, filter, singletonList(timestamp()));
-        LogicalPlan sorted = new OrderBy(Source.EMPTY, project, singletonList(order));
-        assertEquals(sorted, fullQuery);
+        assertEquals(wrapFilter(fullExpression), fullQuery);
     }
 
     public void testParameterizedEventQuery() {
@@ -75,14 +72,19 @@ public class LogicalPlanTests extends ESTestCase {
         LogicalPlan fullQuery = parser.createStatement("process where process_name == 'net.exe'", params);
         Expression fullExpression = expr("myCustomEvent == 'process' and process_name == 'net.exe'");
 
-        LogicalPlan filter = new Filter(Source.EMPTY, relation(), fullExpression);
+        assertEquals(wrapFilter(fullExpression), fullQuery);
+    }
+
+
+    private LogicalPlan wrapFilter(Expression exp) {
+        LogicalPlan filter = new Filter(Source.EMPTY, relation(), exp);
         Order order = new Order(Source.EMPTY, timestamp(), OrderDirection.ASC, NullsPosition.FIRST);
         LogicalPlan project = new Project(Source.EMPTY, filter, singletonList(timestamp()));
         LogicalPlan sorted = new OrderBy(Source.EMPTY, project, singletonList(order));
-        assertEquals(sorted, fullQuery);
+        LogicalPlan head = new Head(Source.EMPTY, new Literal(Source.EMPTY, RequestDefaults.FETCH_SIZE, DataTypes.INTEGER), sorted);
+        return head;
     }
     
-
     public void testJoinPlan() {
         LogicalPlan plan = parser.createStatement(
                 "join by pid " +
@@ -93,9 +95,7 @@ public class LogicalPlanTests extends ESTestCase {
                 " " +
                 "until [process where event_subtype_full == \"termination_event\"]");
 
-        assertEquals(OrderBy.class, plan.getClass());
-        OrderBy ob = (OrderBy) plan;
-        plan = ob.child();
+        plan = defaultPipes(plan);
         assertEquals(Join.class, plan.getClass());
         Join join = (Join) plan;
         assertEquals(KeyedFilter.class, join.until().getClass());
@@ -124,9 +124,7 @@ public class LogicalPlanTests extends ESTestCase {
                 "    [process where process_name == \"*\" ] " +
                 "    [file where file_path == \"*\"]");
 
-        assertEquals(OrderBy.class, plan.getClass());
-        OrderBy ob = (OrderBy) plan;
-        plan = ob.child();
+        plan = defaultPipes(plan);
         assertEquals(Sequence.class, plan.getClass());
         Sequence seq = (Sequence) plan;
         assertEquals(KeyedFilter.class, seq.until().getClass());
@@ -146,4 +144,12 @@ public class LogicalPlanTests extends ESTestCase {
         TimeValue maxSpan = seq.maxSpan();
         assertEquals(new TimeValue(2, TimeUnit.SECONDS), maxSpan);
     }
+
+
+    private LogicalPlan defaultPipes(LogicalPlan plan) {
+        assertTrue(plan instanceof LimitWithOffset);
+        plan = ((LimitWithOffset) plan).child();
+        assertTrue(plan instanceof OrderBy);
+        return ((OrderBy) plan).child();
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/plan/logical/UnresolvedRelation.java b/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/plan/logical/UnresolvedRelation.java
index 41d75553581..d47437cb29d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/plan/logical/UnresolvedRelation.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/plan/logical/UnresolvedRelation.java
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ public class UnresolvedRelation extends LeafPlan implements Unresolvable {
         }
 
         UnresolvedRelation other = (UnresolvedRelation) obj;
-        return Objects.equals(source(), other.source())
-            && Objects.equals(table, other.table)
+        return Objects.equals(table, other.table)
             && Objects.equals(alias, other.alias)
             && Objects.equals(frozen, other.frozen)
             && Objects.equals(unresolvedMsg, other.unresolvedMsg);
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/tree/Source.java b/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/tree/Source.java
index 459526ddab7..3a4639389ea 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/tree/Source.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ql/tree/Source.java
@@ -55,4 +55,8 @@ public final class Source {
     public String toString() {
         return text + location;
     }
+
+    public static Source synthetic(String text) {
+        return new Source(Location.EMPTY, text);
+    }
 }