diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearningFeatureSet.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearningFeatureSet.java
index 4711dd6ed33..2217bb4d662 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearningFeatureSet.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearningFeatureSet.java
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ public class MachineLearningFeatureSet implements XPackFeatureSet {
         this.licenseState = licenseState;
         Map<String, Object> nativeCodeInfo = NativeController.UNKNOWN_NATIVE_CODE_INFO;
         // Don't try to get the native code version in the transport client - the controller process won't be running
-        if (XPackPlugin.transportClientMode(settings) == false) {
+        if (XPackPlugin.transportClientMode(settings) == false
+                // NORELEASE: temporary workaround to make some non-ml integration tests
+                // work - needs replacing before machine learning is enabled by default
+                && enabled) {
             try {
                 NativeController nativeController = NativeControllerHolder.getNativeController(settings);
                 if (nativeController != null) {