diff --git a/internal/beatcmd/beat.go b/internal/beatcmd/beat.go
index af127cf2794..8fa9b651501 100644
--- a/internal/beatcmd/beat.go
+++ b/internal/beatcmd/beat.go
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ type BeatParams struct {
 	// ElasticLicensed indicates whether this build of APM Server
 	// is licensed with the Elastic License v2.
 	ElasticLicensed bool
+
+	// Logger holds the logger used by the runner
+	Logger *logp.Logger
 }
 
 // NewBeat creates a new Beat.
@@ -144,6 +147,7 @@ func NewBeat(args BeatParams) (*Beat, error) {
 				Hostname:        hostname,
 				StartTime:       time.Now(),
 				EphemeralID:     ephemeralID,
+				Logger:          args.Logger,
 			},
 			Keystore:   keystore,
 			Config:     &beat.BeatConfig{Output: cfg.Output},
@@ -170,7 +174,9 @@ func (b *Beat) init() error {
 	if err := configureLogging(b.Config); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to configure logging: %w", err)
 	}
-	b.Beat.Info.Logger = logp.NewLogger("")
+	if b.Info.Logger == nil {
+		b.Info.Logger = logp.NewLogger("")
+	}
 
 	// log paths values to help with troubleshooting
 	b.Info.Logger.Infof("%s", paths.Paths.String())
diff --git a/internal/beatcmd/beat_test.go b/internal/beatcmd/beat_test.go
index cb9b049a9c9..0267bf7afc8 100644
--- a/internal/beatcmd/beat_test.go
+++ b/internal/beatcmd/beat_test.go
@@ -663,6 +663,7 @@ func newBeat(t testing.TB, configYAML string, newRunner NewRunnerFunc) *Beat {
 	beat, err := NewBeat(BeatParams{
 		NewRunner:       newRunner,
 		ElasticLicensed: true,
+		Logger:          logptest.NewTestingLogger(t, ""),
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	return beat
diff --git a/internal/beatcmd/config_test.go b/internal/beatcmd/config_test.go
index 8d8c96a8f76..fa31752c11f 100644
--- a/internal/beatcmd/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/beatcmd/config_test.go
@@ -92,8 +92,13 @@ processors:
 }
 
 func initCfgfile(t testing.TB, content string) (home string) {
-	home = t.TempDir()
-	content += "\npath.home: " + home
+	_, after, _ := strings.Cut(content, "\npath.home: ")
+	home, _, _ = strings.Cut(after, "\n")
+
+	if home == "" {
+		home = t.TempDir()
+		content += "\npath.home: " + home
+	}
 
 	origConfigPath := cfgfile.GetPathConfig()
 	origConfigFile := strings.TrimSuffix(cfgfile.GetDefaultCfgfile(), ".yml")
diff --git a/internal/beatcmd/locker_test.go b/internal/beatcmd/locker_test.go
index e1bb02b0bf7..dabefe3a5a1 100644
--- a/internal/beatcmd/locker_test.go
+++ b/internal/beatcmd/locker_test.go
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestLocker(t *testing.T) {
+	configYAML := "output.console.enabled: true"
+	home := t.TempDir()
+	configYAML += "\npath.home: " + home
+
 	running := make(chan struct{})
-	beat1 := newBeat(t, `output.console.enabled: true`, func(RunnerParams) (Runner, error) {
+	beat1 := newBeat(t, configYAML, func(RunnerParams) (Runner, error) {
 		return runnerFunc(func(ctx context.Context) error {
 			close(running)
 			<-ctx.Done()
@@ -46,13 +50,11 @@ func TestLocker(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Create another Beat using the same configuration and data directory;
 	// its Run method should fail to acquire the lock while beat1 is running.
-	beat2, err := NewBeat(BeatParams{
-		NewRunner: func(RunnerParams) (Runner, error) {
-			panic("should not be called")
-		},
+	beat2 := newBeat(t, configYAML, func(RunnerParams) (Runner, error) {
+		t.Fatal("should not be called")
+		return nil, nil
 	})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	err = beat2.Run(context.Background())
+	err := beat2.Run(context.Background())
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrAlreadyLocked)
 
 	assert.NoError(t, stopBeat1())
diff --git a/internal/beatcmd/logging_test.go b/internal/beatcmd/logging_test.go
index 8cf035a4b47..153637165ea 100644
--- a/internal/beatcmd/logging_test.go
+++ b/internal/beatcmd/logging_test.go
@@ -27,18 +27,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent-libs/logp"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	// Configure tests to log at debug level, and to send
-	// logs to logp.ObserverLogs(). It is important to not
-	// log to files by default in tests, as logp will keep
-	// the files open and prevent temporary directories from
-	// being removed on Windows.
-	logOptions = append(logOptions,
-		logp.ToObserverOutput(),
-		logp.WithLevel(logp.DebugLevel),
-	)
-}
-
 var environments = []logp.Environment{
 	logp.DefaultEnvironment,
 	logp.SystemdEnvironment,