diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 1e4c5b1748..65525c4e40 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ updates:
       - dependency-name: "com.datastax.oss:java-driver-core"
       - dependency-name: "io.micrometer:*"
       - dependency-name: "redis.clients:*"
-      - dependency-name: "org.elasticsearch.client:*"
-      - dependency-name: "co.elastic.clients:*"
       - dependency-name: "io.vertx:*"
       - dependency-name: "org.apache.logging.log4j:*"
       - dependency-name: "org.springframework.boot:*"
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
index cb9f2eb182..6062e6eebf 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Use subheadings with the "=====" level for adding notes for unreleased changes:
 ===== Features
 * Add support for Elasticsearch client 8.9 - {pull}3283[#3283]
 * Added `baggage_to_attach` config option to allow automatic lifting of baggage into transaction, span and error attributes - {pull}3288[#3288], {pull}3289[#3289]
+* Exclude elasticsearch 8.10 and newer clients from instrumentation because they natively support OpenTelemetry  - {pull}3303[#3303]
 
 [[release-notes-1.x]]
 === Java Agent version 1.x
diff --git a/apm-agent-plugins/apm-es-restclient-plugin/apm-es-restclient-plugin-common/src/main/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/esrestclient/ElasticsearchRestClientInstrumentation.java b/apm-agent-plugins/apm-es-restclient-plugin/apm-es-restclient-plugin-common/src/main/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/esrestclient/ElasticsearchRestClientInstrumentation.java
index 4c54b64108..d32a0eca74 100644
--- a/apm-agent-plugins/apm-es-restclient-plugin/apm-es-restclient-plugin-common/src/main/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/esrestclient/ElasticsearchRestClientInstrumentation.java
+++ b/apm-agent-plugins/apm-es-restclient-plugin/apm-es-restclient-plugin-common/src/main/java/co/elastic/apm/agent/esrestclient/ElasticsearchRestClientInstrumentation.java
@@ -21,10 +21,14 @@
 import co.elastic.apm.agent.sdk.ElasticApmInstrumentation;
 import co.elastic.apm.agent.tracer.GlobalTracer;
 import co.elastic.apm.agent.tracer.Tracer;
+import net.bytebuddy.matcher.ElementMatcher;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 
+import static co.elastic.apm.agent.sdk.bytebuddy.CustomElementMatchers.classLoaderCanLoadClass;
+import static net.bytebuddy.matcher.ElementMatchers.not;
+
 
 public abstract class ElasticsearchRestClientInstrumentation extends ElasticApmInstrumentation {
 
@@ -35,4 +39,10 @@ public Collection<String> getInstrumentationGroupNames() {
         return Collections.singleton("elasticsearch-restclient");
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public ElementMatcher.Junction<ClassLoader> getClassLoaderMatcher() {
+        // ensure only ES client versions without native instrumentation are instrumented (8.9 and older)
+        return not(classLoaderCanLoadClass("co.elastic.clients.transport.instrumentation.Instrumentation"));
+    }
+
 }