diff --git a/testing/benchmark/main.tf b/testing/benchmark/main.tf
index e699f56485e..f7b882b156e 100644
--- a/testing/benchmark/main.tf
+++ b/testing/benchmark/main.tf
@@ -61,9 +61,11 @@ module "ec_deployment" {
   apm_server_expvar     = true
   apm_server_pprof      = true
 
-  elasticsearch_size              = var.elasticsearch_size
-  elasticsearch_zone_count        = var.elasticsearch_zone_count
-  elasticsearch_dedicated_masters = var.elasticsearch_dedicated_masters
+  elasticsearch_size                 = var.elasticsearch_size
+  elasticsearch_zone_count           = var.elasticsearch_zone_count
+  elasticsearch_dedicated_masters    = var.elasticsearch_dedicated_masters
+  elasticsearch_user_settings_yaml   = var.use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin ? "xpack.apm_data.enabled: true" : ""
+  delete_integration_index_templates = var.use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin
 
   docker_image              = var.docker_image_override
   docker_image_tag_override = var.docker_image_tag_override
diff --git a/testing/benchmark/variables.tf b/testing/benchmark/variables.tf
index deb2d05d6b0..6107a8e5592 100644
--- a/testing/benchmark/variables.tf
+++ b/testing/benchmark/variables.tf
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ variable "apm_server_zone_count" {
   description = "Optional apm server zone count"
 }
 
+# TODO(axw) disable by default
+variable "use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin" {
+  default     = true
+  type        = bool
+  description = "Enable the Elasticsearch apm-data plugin, and delete integration package index templates."
+}
+
 variable "elasticsearch_size" {
   default     = "8g"
   type        = string
diff --git a/testing/cloud/main.tf b/testing/cloud/main.tf
index c4469be2a2e..d1e390a446e 100644
--- a/testing/cloud/main.tf
+++ b/testing/cloud/main.tf
@@ -22,20 +22,16 @@ module "ec_deployment" {
   region        = var.ess_region
   stack_version = local.stack_version
 
-  # TODO(axw) make this optional
-  delete_integration_index_templates = true
-  elasticsearch_user_settings_yaml = <<EOF
-    xpack.apm_data.enabled: true
-  EOF
-
   deployment_template    = var.deployment_template
   deployment_name_prefix = "apm-server-testing"
 
   apm_server_size       = var.apm_server_size
   apm_server_zone_count = var.apm_server_zone_count
 
-  elasticsearch_size       = var.elasticsearch_size
-  elasticsearch_zone_count = var.elasticsearch_zone_count
+  elasticsearch_size                 = var.elasticsearch_size
+  elasticsearch_zone_count           = var.elasticsearch_zone_count
+  elasticsearch_user_settings_yaml   = var.use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin ? "xpack.apm_data.enabled: true" : ""
+  delete_integration_index_templates = var.use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin
 
   observability_deployment = var.observability_deployment
 
diff --git a/testing/cloud/variables.tf b/testing/cloud/variables.tf
index 7cbbd8e8fd6..587d56eb116 100644
--- a/testing/cloud/variables.tf
+++ b/testing/cloud/variables.tf
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ variable "apm_server_zone_count" {
   description = "Optional apm server zone count"
 }
 
-# TODO(axw) make it configurable
-#variable "use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin" {
-#  default     = false
-#  type        = bool
-#  description = "Enable the Elasticsearch apm-data plugin, and disable integration package index templates."
-#}
+# TODO(axw) disable by default
+variable "use_elasticsearch_apmdata_plugin" {
+  default     = true
+  type        = bool
+  description = "Enable the Elasticsearch apm-data plugin, and delete integration package index templates."
+}
 
 variable "elasticsearch_size" {
   default     = "8g"