diff --git a/modules/data-streams/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/data_stream/250_data_stream_mappings.yml b/modules/data-streams/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/data_stream/250_data_stream_mappings.yml
index c0fef3e6bae07..5dc465d05a80a 100644
--- a/modules/data-streams/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/data_stream/250_data_stream_mappings.yml
+++ b/modules/data-streams/src/yamlRestTest/resources/rest-api-spec/test/data_stream/250_data_stream_mappings.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ setup:
         name: my-data-stream-1
   - match: { data_streams.0.name: my-data-stream-1 }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings: {} }
-  - length: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties: 2 }
+  - length: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties: 2 }
 
   - do:
       indices.get_data_stream:
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ setup:
   - match: { data_streams.0.name: my-data-stream-1 }
   - match: { data_streams.0.applied_to_data_stream: true }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings.properties.name.type: "keyword" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.name.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.name.type: "keyword" }
 
   - do:
       indices.rollover:
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ setup:
       indices.get_data_stream_mappings:
         name: my-data-stream-1
   - match: { data_streams.0.name: my-data-stream-1 }
-  - length: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties: 3 }
+  - length: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties: 3 }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings.properties.name.type: "keyword" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.name.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.name.type: "keyword" }
 
   - do:
       indices.get_data_stream:
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ setup:
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings.properties.field1.type: "text" }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings.properties.field2: null }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings.properties.field3.type: "text" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field1.type: "text" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field2.type: "keyword" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field3.type: "text" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field1.type: "text" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field2.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field3.type: "text" }
 
   - do:
       cluster.put_component_template:
@@ -180,10 +180,10 @@ setup:
       indices.get_data_stream_mappings:
         name: my-component-only-data-stream-1
   - match: { data_streams.0.name: my-component-only-data-stream-1 }
-  - length: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties: 5 }
+  - length: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties: 5 }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings.properties.field1.type: "text" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field3.type: "text" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field4.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field3.type: "text" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field4.type: "keyword" }
 
   - do:
       indices.get_data_stream:
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ setup:
   - match: { data_streams.0.name: my-component-only-data-stream-1 }
   - match: { data_streams.0.applied_to_data_stream: true }
   - match: { data_streams.0.mappings null }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field1.type: "keyword" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field2.type: "keyword" }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field3: null }
-  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings._doc.properties.field4.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field1.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field2.type: "keyword" }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field3: null }
+  - match: { data_streams.0.effective_mappings.properties.field4.type: "keyword" }
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/GetDataStreamMappingsAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/GetDataStreamMappingsAction.java
index 5d81d44b7df70..29ebc1217047d 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/GetDataStreamMappingsAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/GetDataStreamMappingsAction.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.ChunkedToXContentObject;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentHelper;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.TimeValue;
+import org.elasticsearch.index.mapper.MapperService;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.CancellableTask;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.Task;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.TaskId;
@@ -131,8 +132,18 @@ public XContentBuilder toXContent(XContentBuilder builder, Params params) throws
                 true,
                 XContentType.JSON
             ).v2();
-            builder.field("effective_mappings");
-            builder.map(uncompressedEffectiveMappings);
+            // Strip the _doc wrapper if present
+            if (uncompressedEffectiveMappings.containsKey(MapperService.SINGLE_MAPPING_NAME)) {
+                @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+                Map<String, Object> strippedMappings = (Map<String, Object>) uncompressedEffectiveMappings.get(
+                    MapperService.SINGLE_MAPPING_NAME
+                );
+                builder.field("effective_mappings");
+                builder.map(strippedMappings);
+            } else {
+                builder.field("effective_mappings");
+                builder.map(uncompressedEffectiveMappings);
+            }
             builder.endObject();
             return builder;
         }
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/UpdateDataStreamMappingsAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/UpdateDataStreamMappingsAction.java
index 561e59f3eed36..4432ab0426dee 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/UpdateDataStreamMappingsAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/datastreams/UpdateDataStreamMappingsAction.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.ChunkedToXContentObject;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentHelper;
 import org.elasticsearch.core.TimeValue;
+import org.elasticsearch.index.mapper.MapperService;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.CancellableTask;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.Task;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.TaskId;
@@ -214,8 +215,18 @@ public XContentBuilder toXContent(XContentBuilder builder, Params params) throws
                 XContentType.JSON
             ).v2();
             if (uncompressedEffectiveMappings.isEmpty() == false) {
-                builder.field("effective_mappings");
-                builder.map(uncompressedEffectiveMappings);
+                // Strip the _doc wrapper if present
+                if (uncompressedEffectiveMappings.containsKey(MapperService.SINGLE_MAPPING_NAME)) {
+                    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+                    Map<String, Object> strippedMappings = (Map<String, Object>) uncompressedEffectiveMappings.get(
+                        MapperService.SINGLE_MAPPING_NAME
+                    );
+                    builder.field("effective_mappings");
+                    builder.map(strippedMappings);
+                } else {
+                    builder.field("effective_mappings");
+                    builder.map(uncompressedEffectiveMappings);
+                }
             }
             builder.endObject();
             return builder;