diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
index 1129f29b11c..2e4ff69d0e8 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/BuildPlugin.groovy
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.gradle.precommit.PrecommitTasks
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.test.ErrorReportingTestListener
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.ElasticsearchCluster
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.TestClustersPlugin
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.TestDistribution
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.tool.Boilerplate
 import org.gradle.api.Action
 import org.gradle.api.GradleException
 import org.gradle.api.InvalidUserDataException
@@ -158,6 +160,7 @@ class BuildPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
                         NamedDomainObjectContainer<ElasticsearchCluster> testClusters = project.extensions.findByName(TestClustersPlugin.EXTENSION_NAME) as NamedDomainObjectContainer<ElasticsearchCluster>
                         if (testClusters != null) {
                             testClusters.all { ElasticsearchCluster cluster ->
+                                cluster.setTestDistribution(TestDistribution.DEFAULT)
                                 cluster.systemProperty 'javax.net.ssl.trustStorePassword', 'password'
                                 cluster.systemProperty 'javax.net.ssl.keyStorePassword', 'password'
                                 // Can't use our DiagnosticTrustManager with SunJSSE in FIPS mode
diff --git a/plugins/examples/painless-whitelist/build.gradle b/plugins/examples/painless-whitelist/build.gradle
index 6b1a78e352f..717b75a57f8 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/painless-whitelist/build.gradle
+++ b/plugins/examples/painless-whitelist/build.gradle
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  * specific language governing permissions and limitations
  * under the License.
  */
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.info.BuildParams
+
 apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.testclusters'
 apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.esplugin'
 
@@ -33,7 +35,9 @@ dependencies {
 }
 
 testClusters.integTest {
-  testDistribution = 'oss'
+  rootProject.globalInfo.ready {
+    testDistribution = BuildParams.inFipsJvm ? 'DEFAULT' : 'OSS'
+  }
 }
 
 test.enabled = false