diff --git a/libs/entitlement/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/EntitlementInitialization.java b/libs/entitlement/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/EntitlementInitialization.java
index 57683d4aa1bed..a39bca66002bc 100644
--- a/libs/entitlement/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/EntitlementInitialization.java
+++ b/libs/entitlement/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/EntitlementInitialization.java
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ public static EntitlementChecker checker() {
      * @param inst the JVM instrumentation class instance
      */
     public static void initialize(Instrumentation inst) throws Exception {
-        checker = initChecker(inst, createPolicyManager());
+        // the checker _MUST_ be set before _any_ instrumentation is done
+        checker = initChecker(createPolicyManager());
+        initInstrumentation(inst);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ private static void ensureClassesSensitiveToVerificationAreInitialized() {
         }
     }
 
-    static ElasticsearchEntitlementChecker initChecker(Instrumentation inst, PolicyManager policyManager) throws Exception {
+    static ElasticsearchEntitlementChecker initChecker(PolicyManager policyManager) {
         final PolicyChecker policyChecker = createPolicyChecker(policyManager);
         final Class<?> clazz = EntitlementCheckerUtils.getVersionSpecificCheckerClass(
             ElasticsearchEntitlementChecker.class,
@@ -167,17 +169,20 @@ static ElasticsearchEntitlementChecker initChecker(Instrumentation inst, PolicyM
             throw new AssertionError(e);
         }
 
+        return checker;
+    }
+
+    static void initInstrumentation(Instrumentation instrumentation) throws Exception {
         var verifyBytecode = Booleans.parseBoolean(System.getProperty("es.entitlements.verify_bytecode", "false"));
         if (verifyBytecode) {
             ensureClassesSensitiveToVerificationAreInitialized();
         }
 
         DynamicInstrumentation.initialize(
-            inst,
+            instrumentation,
             EntitlementCheckerUtils.getVersionSpecificCheckerClass(EntitlementChecker.class, Runtime.version().feature()),
             verifyBytecode
         );
 
-        return checker;
     }
 }
diff --git a/muted-tests.yml b/muted-tests.yml
index 85a8c6c5c27fe..7ac809b26b65e 100644
--- a/muted-tests.yml
+++ b/muted-tests.yml
@@ -492,18 +492,12 @@ tests:
 - class: org.elasticsearch.packaging.test.DockerTests
   method: test085EnvironmentVariablesAreRespectedUnderDockerExec
   issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128115
-- class: org.elasticsearch.test.apmintegration.TracesApmIT
-  method: testApmIntegration
-  issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128651
 - class: org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.expression.function.scalar.string.WildcardLikeTests
   method: testEvaluateInManyThreads {TestCase=100 random code points matches self case insensitive with keyword}
   issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128676
 - class: org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.expression.function.scalar.string.WildcardLikeTests
   method: testEvaluateInManyThreads {TestCase=100 random code points matches self case insensitive with text}
   issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128677
-- class: org.elasticsearch.test.apmintegration.MetricsApmIT
-  method: testApmIntegration
-  issue: https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/issues/128678
 
 # Examples:
 #
diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/TestEntitlementInitialization.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/TestEntitlementInitialization.java
index 1ff0a17032ac4..4a990cdc8e9ad 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/TestEntitlementInitialization.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/entitlement/initialization/TestEntitlementInitialization.java
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import static org.elasticsearch.entitlement.initialization.EntitlementInitialization.initInstrumentation;
+
 /**
  * Test-specific version of {@code EntitlementInitialization}
  */
@@ -45,7 +47,8 @@ public static EntitlementChecker checker() {
     }
 
     public static void initialize(Instrumentation inst) throws Exception {
-        checker = EntitlementInitialization.initChecker(inst, createPolicyManager(initializeArgs.pathLookup()));
+        checker = EntitlementInitialization.initChecker(createPolicyManager(initializeArgs.pathLookup()));
+        initInstrumentation(inst);
     }
 
     public record InitializeArgs(PathLookup pathLookup) {}