diff --git a/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/config.py b/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/config.py
index 54267926..66ba592e 100644
--- a/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/config.py
+++ b/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/config.py
@@ -24,30 +24,4 @@ def create_client(self):
         """Create es client."""
         # try:
         client = Elasticsearch([{"host": str(DOMAIN), "port": str(PORT)}])
-
-        mapping = {
-            "mappings": {
-                "properties": {
-                    "geometry": {"type": "geo_shape"},
-                    "id": {"type": "text", "fields": {"keyword": {"type": "keyword"}}},
-                    "properties__datetime": {
-                        "type": "text",
-                        "fields": {"keyword": {"type": "keyword"}},
-                    },
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        _ = client.indices.create(
-            index="stac_items",
-            mappings=mapping,
-            ignore=400,  # ignore 400 already exists code
-        )
-
-        _ = client.indices.create(
-            index="stac_collections",
-            mappings={},
-            ignore=400,  # ignore 400 already exists code
-        )
-
         return client
diff --git a/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/transactions.py b/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/transactions.py
index 3c50095c..33770614 100644
--- a/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/transactions.py
+++ b/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/stac_fastapi/elasticsearch/transactions.py
@@ -51,6 +51,25 @@ def create_item(self, model: stac_types.Item, **kwargs):
         if "created" not in model["properties"]:
             model["properties"]["created"] = str(now)
 
+        mapping = {
+            "mappings": {
+                "properties": {
+                    "geometry": {"type": "geo_shape"},
+                    "id": {"type": "text", "fields": {"keyword": {"type": "keyword"}}},
+                    "properties__datetime": {
+                        "type": "text",
+                        "fields": {"keyword": {"type": "keyword"}},
+                    },
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        _ = self.client.indices.create(
+            index="stac_items",
+            body=mapping,
+            ignore=400,  # ignore 400 already exists code
+        )
+
         self.client.index(
             index="stac_items", doc_type="_doc", id=model["id"], document=model
         )