diff --git a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBasicClient.java b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBasicClient.java
index 0fb30dd..0135338 100644
--- a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBasicClient.java
+++ b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBasicClient.java
@@ -205,16 +205,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractBasicClient implements BasicClient {
 
     protected abstract void closeClient(Settings settings) throws IOException;
 
-    protected void updateIndexSetting(String index, String key, Object value, long timeout, TimeUnit timeUnit) throws IOException {
+    protected void updateIndexSetting(String index, String key, Object value, long timeout, TimeUnit timeUnit) {
         ensureClientIsPresent();
         if (index == null) {
-            throw new IOException("no index name given");
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("no index name given");
         }
         if (key == null) {
-            throw new IOException("no key given");
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("no key given");
         }
         if (value == null) {
-            throw new IOException("no value given");
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("no value given");
         }
         Settings.Builder updateSettingsBuilder = Settings.builder();
         updateSettingsBuilder.put(key, value.toString());
diff --git a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBulkClient.java b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBulkClient.java
index 3fcd849..c630ce4 100644
--- a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBulkClient.java
+++ b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/AbstractBulkClient.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.indices.refresh.RefreshRequest;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.delete.DeleteRequest;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.index.IndexRequest;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.update.UpdateRequest;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.bytes.BytesArray;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.bytes.BytesReference;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
@@ -92,18 +91,29 @@ public abstract class AbstractBulkClient extends AbstractBasicClient implements
                 new CreateIndexRequestBuilder(client, CreateIndexAction.INSTANCE)
                 .setIndex(index);
         if (indexDefinition.getSettings() != null) {
-            indexDefinition.setSettings(Strings.toString(Settings.builder()
+            Settings settings = Settings.builder()
                     .loadFromSource(indexDefinition.getSettings())
                     .put("index.number_of_shards", indexDefinition.getShardCount())
                     .put("index.number_of_replicas", 0) // always 0
-                    .build()));
+                    .build();
+            try {
+                createIndexRequestBuilder.setSettings(JsonXContent.contentBuilder()
+                        .map(settings.getAsStructuredMap()).string());
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                logger.warn(e.getMessage(), e);
+            }
         } else {
-            indexDefinition.setSettings(Strings.toString(Settings.builder()
+            Settings settings = Settings.builder()
                     .put("index.number_of_shards", indexDefinition.getShardCount())
                     .put("index.number_of_replicas", 0) // always 0
-                    .build()));
+                    .build();
+            try {
+                createIndexRequestBuilder.setSettings(JsonXContent.contentBuilder()
+                        .map(settings.getAsStructuredMap()).string());
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                logger.warn(e.getMessage(), e);
+            }
         }
-        createIndexRequestBuilder.setSettings(indexDefinition.getSettings());
         if (indexDefinition.getMappings() != null) {
             try {
                 Map<String, Object> mappings = JsonXContent.jsonXContent.createParser(indexDefinition.getMappings()).mapOrdered();
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 2dd2a34..178e078 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 group = org.xbib
 name = elx
-version = 2.2.1.45
+version = 2.2.1.46
 
 gradle.wrapper.version = 6.6.1
 xbib-metrics.version = 2.1.0