diff --git a/instrumentation/spring/spring-kafka-2.7/javaagent/build.gradle.kts b/instrumentation/spring/spring-kafka-2.7/javaagent/build.gradle.kts
index 0d474cd589df..466774f5cf6e 100644
--- a/instrumentation/spring/spring-kafka-2.7/javaagent/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/instrumentation/spring/spring-kafka-2.7/javaagent/build.gradle.kts
@@ -29,10 +29,7 @@ dependencies {
 
   testLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:2.5.3")
   testLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:2.5.3")
-
-  // tests don't work with spring boot 4 yet
-  latestDepTestLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:3.+") // documented limitation
-  latestDepTestLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.+") // documented limitation
+  latestDepTestLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-kafka:latest.release")
 }
 
 val latestDepTest = findProperty("testLatestDeps") as Boolean
@@ -46,10 +43,14 @@ testing {
 
         // the "library" configuration is not recognized by the test suite plugin
         val springKafkaVersion = if (latestDepTest) "latest.release" else "2.7.0"
-        val springBootVersion = if (latestDepTest) "3.+" else "2.5.3"
+        val springBootVersion = if (latestDepTest) "latest.release" else "2.5.3"
         implementation("org.springframework.kafka:spring-kafka:$springKafkaVersion")
         implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:$springBootVersion")
         implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:$springBootVersion")
+
+        if (latestDepTest) {
+          implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-kafka:latest.release")
+        }
       }
 
       targets {