diff --git a/instrumentation/spring/spring-pulsar-1.0/javaagent/build.gradle.kts b/instrumentation/spring/spring-pulsar-1.0/javaagent/build.gradle.kts
index 94ffb439720f..ee9894ff7a5e 100644
--- a/instrumentation/spring/spring-pulsar-1.0/javaagent/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/instrumentation/spring/spring-pulsar-1.0/javaagent/build.gradle.kts
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ muzzle {
   }
 }
 
+val latestDepTest = findProperty("testLatestDeps") as Boolean
+
 dependencies {
   library("org.springframework.pulsar:spring-pulsar:1.0.0")
   implementation(project(":instrumentation:pulsar:pulsar-2.8:javaagent"))
@@ -23,12 +25,11 @@ dependencies {
   testLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:3.2.4")
   testLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.2.4")
 
-  // 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
+  if (latestDepTest) {
+    testLibrary("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-pulsar:latest.release")
+  }
 }
 
-val latestDepTest = findProperty("testLatestDeps") as Boolean
 val collectMetadata = findProperty("collectMetadata")?.toString() ?: "false"
 
 testing {
@@ -38,9 +39,9 @@ testing {
         implementation(project(":instrumentation:spring:spring-pulsar-1.0:testing"))
 
         if (latestDepTest) {
-          implementation("org.springframework.pulsar:spring-pulsar:latest.release")
-          implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:3.+")
-          implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.+")
+          implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-pulsar:latest.release")
+          implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:latest.release")
+          implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:latest.release")
         } else {
           implementation("org.springframework.pulsar:spring-pulsar:1.0.0")
           implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test:3.2.4")