diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index da39507a22..35a39aa9dd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ jobs:
           AZURE_STORAGE_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_STORAGE_KEY }}
           AZURE_BUCKET_NAME: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BUCKET_NAME }}
           SLACK_WEBHOOK: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_COMMUNITY }}
+          TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT: "" # disables sending telemetry
+          TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT_INSECURE: "false"
 
       - name: Cache Artifacts
         uses: actions/cache@ab5e6d0c87105b4c9c2047343972218f562e4319 # v4.0.1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/conformance.yml b/.github/workflows/conformance.yml
index 419d757499..72a4450343 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/conformance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/conformance.yml
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           version: latest
           args: build --snapshot --clean
+        env:
+          TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT: "" # disables sending telemetry
+          TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT_INSECURE: "false"
 
       - name: Build NGF Docker Image
         uses: docker/build-push-action@af5a7ed5ba88268d5278f7203fb52cd833f66d6e # v5.2.0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/functional.yml b/.github/workflows/functional.yml
index 76959825d0..0984935068 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/functional.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/functional.yml
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           version: latest
           args: build --snapshot --clean
+        env:
+          TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT: otel-collector-opentelemetry-collector.collector.svc.cluster.local:4317
+          TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT_INSECURE: "false"
 
       - name: Build NGF Docker Image
         uses: docker/build-push-action@4a13e500e55cf31b7a5d59a38ab2040ab0f42f56 # v5.1.0
@@ -116,9 +119,9 @@ jobs:
           make load-images${{ matrix.nginx-image == 'nginx-plus' && '-with-plus' || ''}} PREFIX=${ngf_prefix} TAG=${ngf_tag}
         working-directory: ./tests
 
-      - name: Run functional tests
+      - name: Run functional telemetry tests
         run: |
           ngf_prefix=ghcr.io/nginxinc/nginx-gateway-fabric
           ngf_tag=${{ steps.ngf-meta.outputs.version }}
-          make test${{ matrix.nginx-image == 'nginx-plus' && '-with-plus' || ''}} PREFIX=${ngf_prefix} TAG=${ngf_tag}
+          make test${{ matrix.nginx-image == 'nginx-plus' && '-with-plus' || ''}} PREFIX=${ngf_prefix} TAG=${ngf_tag} GINKGO_LABEL=telemetry
         working-directory: ./tests
diff --git a/.goreleaser.yml b/.goreleaser.yml
index c629185b02..f0f9e335c4 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,13 @@ builds:
     asmflags:
       - all=-trimpath={{.Env.GOPATH}}
     ldflags:
-      - -s -w -X main.version={{.Version}} -X main.commit={{.Commit}} -X main.date={{.Date}} -X main.telemetryReportPeriod=24h -X main.telemetryEndpointInsecure=false
+      - -s -w
+      - -X main.version={{.Version}}
+      - -X main.commit={{.Commit}}
+      - -X main.date={{.Date}}
+      - -X main.telemetryReportPeriod=24h
+      - -X main.telemetryEndpoint={{.Env.TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT}}
+      - -X main.telemetryEndpointInsecure={{.Env.TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT_INSECURE}}
     main: ./cmd/gateway/
     binary: gateway