diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/config.base.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/config.base.ts
index 4ffdbfeef108a..096ff9c79acb3 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/config.base.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/config.base.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ export function createTestConfig(options: CreateTestConfigOptions) {
         ...services,
         ...options.services,
       },
+      esTestCluster: {
+        ...svlSharedConfig.get('esTestCluster'),
+        serverArgs: [
+          ...svlSharedConfig.get('esTestCluster.serverArgs'),
+          ...(options.esServerArgs ?? []),
+        ],
+      },
       kbnTestServer: {
         ...svlSharedConfig.get('kbnTestServer'),
         serverArgs: [
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts
index 1e092616323f1..bedcfb3889b00 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -23,4 +23,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   kbnServerArgs: ['--xpack.observability.unsafe.thresholdRule.enabled=true'],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/observability/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.ts
index 706d27cf9024a..9bf9a803023e4 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/observability/config.ts
@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   },
   suiteTags: { exclude: ['skipSvlOblt'] },
   services,
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/observability/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
index 9a9d0064bc5e6..c5d05076cb8b5 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   kbnServerArgs: [],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/tree/main/internal/project/esproject/config
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.ad.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.ts
index fa1cefff02273..796722ba61b20 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/search/config.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     reportName: 'Serverless Search API Integration Tests',
   },
   suiteTags: { exclude: ['skipSvlSearch'] },
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/tree/main/internal/project/esproject/config
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.ad.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts
index 20bce40a9f205..58ad1ac2105c2 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   kbnServerArgs: [],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/security/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.ts
index e313d7abdf9d6..8ac81c3e8ab10 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/security/config.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     reportName: 'Serverless Security API Integration Tests',
   },
   suiteTags: { exclude: ['skipSvlSec'] },
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/security/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/config.base.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/config.base.ts
index a570d7a7e72f9..3db533e9d930c 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/config.base.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/config.base.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ export function createTestConfig(options: CreateTestConfigOptions) {
 
       pageObjects,
       services,
+      esTestCluster: {
+        ...svlSharedConfig.get('esTestCluster'),
+        serverArgs: [
+          ...svlSharedConfig.get('esTestCluster.serverArgs'),
+          ...(options.esServerArgs ?? []),
+        ],
+      },
       kbnTestServer: {
         ...svlSharedConfig.get('kbnTestServer'),
         serverArgs: [
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.examples.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.examples.ts
index 358dddbe89aca..794c64505e339 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.examples.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.examples.ts
@@ -20,4 +20,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'examples'),
     resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'x-pack/examples'),
   ]),
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/observability/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts
index 31995ad616ca4..61a14189bbe22 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   kbnServerArgs: [],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/observability/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.ts
index 077dfff243735..6b1200738fcb7 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/observability/config.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     reportName: 'Serverless Observability Functional Tests',
   },
   suiteTags: { exclude: ['skipSvlOblt'] },
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/observability/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.examples.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.examples.ts
index eb7e66d8a3786..ed29dbcddc545 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.examples.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.examples.ts
@@ -20,4 +20,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'examples'),
     resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'x-pack/examples'),
   ]),
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/tree/main/internal/project/esproject/config
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.ad.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
index e93c3ff2f02e5..459adfe631d32 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   kbnServerArgs: [],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/tree/main/internal/project/esproject/config
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.ad.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.screenshots.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.screenshots.ts
index fd53eda92aa5e..c3453a033bc07 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.screenshots.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.screenshots.ts
@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   junit: {
     reportName: 'Serverless Search Screenshot Creation',
   },
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/tree/main/internal/project/esproject/config
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.ad.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.ts
index 124a4fc90a9e6..8e27132d3bdb9 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/search/config.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     reportName: 'Serverless Search Functional Tests',
   },
   suiteTags: { exclude: ['skipSvlSearch'] },
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/tree/main/internal/project/esproject/config
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.ad.enabled=false', 'xpack.ml.dfa.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.examples.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.examples.ts
index 7be037baa9c9a..a5645fb5e0fe5 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.examples.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.examples.ts
@@ -20,4 +20,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'examples'),
     resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'x-pack/examples'),
   ]),
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/security/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts
index 735c8a8765d16..44636d99c21f9 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.feature_flags.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
   kbnServerArgs: [],
   // load tests in the index file
   testFiles: [require.resolve('./index.feature_flags.ts')],
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/security/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.ts
index e255310c61b28..2e19a0a5fe11a 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/functional/test_suites/security/config.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,8 @@ export default createTestConfig({
     reportName: 'Serverless Security Functional Tests',
   },
   suiteTags: { exclude: ['skipSvlSec'] },
+
+  // include settings from project controller
+  // https://github.com/elastic/project-controller/blob/main/internal/project/security/config/elasticsearch.yml
+  esServerArgs: ['xpack.ml.nlp.enabled=false'],
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/types/index.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/types/index.ts
index 0a36e71db7c39..716c389db666d 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/types/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/types/index.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { InheritedServices } from '../../api_integration/services';
 
 export interface CreateTestConfigOptions {
   serverlessProject: 'es' | 'oblt' | 'security';
+  esServerArgs?: string[];
   kbnServerArgs?: string[];
   testFiles: string[];
   junit: { reportName: string };