diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/import_export_jobs/export_jobs_flyout/jobs_export_service.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/import_export_jobs/export_jobs_flyout/jobs_export_service.ts
index 9b073a87110d8..52e9bb2e101c2 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/import_export_jobs/export_jobs_flyout/jobs_export_service.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/components/import_export_jobs/export_jobs_flyout/jobs_export_service.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ export class JobsExportService {
   constructor(private _mlApiServices: MlApiServices) {}
 
   public async exportAnomalyDetectionJobs(jobIds: string[]) {
-    const configs = await Promise.all(jobIds.map(this._mlApiServices.jobs.jobForCloning));
+    const configs = await Promise.all(
+      jobIds.map((id) => this._mlApiServices.jobs.jobForCloning(id, true))
+    );
     this._export(configs, 'anomaly-detector');
   }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/services/ml_api_service/jobs.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/services/ml_api_service/jobs.ts
index 45e5c2f4b82dc..0b79dfc2dd990 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/services/ml_api_service/jobs.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/application/services/ml_api_service/jobs.ts
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ export const jobsApiProvider = (httpService: HttpService) => ({
     });
   },
 
-  jobForCloning(jobId: string) {
-    const body = JSON.stringify({ jobId });
+  jobForCloning(jobId: string, retainCreatedBy = false) {
+    const body = JSON.stringify({ jobId, retainCreatedBy });
     return httpService.http<{ job?: Job; datafeed?: Datafeed } | undefined>({
       path: `${ML_INTERNAL_BASE_PATH}/jobs/job_for_cloning`,
       method: 'POST',
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/job_service/jobs.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/job_service/jobs.ts
index be9d6961cd6ba..669b1d4b737d7 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/job_service/jobs.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/job_service/jobs.ts
@@ -315,22 +315,30 @@ export function jobsProvider(
     return { jobs, jobsMap };
   }
 
-  async function getJobForCloning(jobId: string) {
-    const [jobResults, datafeedResult] = await Promise.all([
+  async function getJobForCloning(jobId: string, retainCreatedBy = false) {
+    const [jobResults, datafeedResult, fullJobResults] = await Promise.all([
       mlClient.getJobs({ job_id: jobId, exclude_generated: true }),
       getDatafeedByJobId(jobId, true),
+      ...(retainCreatedBy ? [mlClient.getJobs({ job_id: jobId })] : []),
     ]);
     const result: { datafeed?: Datafeed; job?: Job } = { job: undefined, datafeed: undefined };
     if (datafeedResult && datafeedResult.job_id === jobId) {
       result.datafeed = datafeedResult;
     }
 
-    if (jobResults && jobResults.jobs) {
-      const job = jobResults.jobs.find((j) => j.job_id === jobId);
-      if (job) {
-        removeUnClonableCustomSettings(job);
-        result.job = job;
+    if (jobResults?.jobs?.length > 0) {
+      const job = jobResults.jobs[0];
+      removeUnClonableCustomSettings(job);
+
+      // to retain the created by property we need to add it back in
+      // from the job which hasn't been loaded with exclude_generated: true
+      if (retainCreatedBy && fullJobResults?.jobs?.length > 0) {
+        const fullJob = fullJobResults.jobs[0];
+        if (fullJob.custom_settings?.created_by) {
+          job.custom_settings.created_by = fullJob.custom_settings.created_by;
+        }
       }
+      result.job = job;
     }
     return result;
   }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/job_service.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/job_service.ts
index 18c57b90925f6..b7fad0ef66ce2 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/job_service.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/job_service.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import {
   deleteJobsSchema,
 } from './schemas/job_service_schema';
 
-import { jobIdSchema } from './schemas/anomaly_detectors_schema';
+import { jobForCloningSchema, jobIdSchema } from './schemas/anomaly_detectors_schema';
 
 import { jobServiceProvider } from '../models/job_service';
 import { getAuthorizationHeader } from '../lib/request_authorization';
@@ -428,16 +428,16 @@ export function jobServiceRoutes({ router, routeGuard }: RouteInitialization) {
         version: '1',
         validate: {
           request: {
-            body: jobIdSchema,
+            body: jobForCloningSchema,
           },
         },
       },
       routeGuard.fullLicenseAPIGuard(async ({ client, mlClient, request, response }) => {
         try {
           const { getJobForCloning } = jobServiceProvider(client, mlClient);
-          const { jobId } = request.body;
+          const { jobId, retainCreatedBy } = request.body;
 
-          const resp = await getJobForCloning(jobId);
+          const resp = await getJobForCloning(jobId, retainCreatedBy);
           return response.ok({
             body: resp,
           });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/schemas/anomaly_detectors_schema.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/schemas/anomaly_detectors_schema.ts
index 6d3940c8d3e1f..d39ab40b7c561 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/schemas/anomaly_detectors_schema.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/routes/schemas/anomaly_detectors_schema.ts
@@ -211,3 +211,10 @@ export const forceQuerySchema = schema.object({
   /** force close */
   force: schema.maybe(schema.boolean()),
 });
+
+export const jobForCloningSchema = schema.object({
+  /** Whether to retain the created_by custom setting. */
+  retainCreatedBy: schema.maybe(schema.boolean()),
+  /** Job ID */
+  jobId: schema.string(),
+});