diff --git a/LICENSE-3rdparty.csv b/LICENSE-3rdparty.csv
index 7829b7118be..42b50f8c225 100644
--- a/LICENSE-3rdparty.csv
+++ b/LICENSE-3rdparty.csv
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ dev,glob,ISC,Copyright Isaac Z. Schlueter and Contributors
 dev,graphql,MIT,Copyright 2015 Facebook Inc.
 dev,int64-buffer,MIT,Copyright 2015-2016 Yusuke Kawasaki
 dev,jszip,MIT,Copyright 2015-2016 Stuart Knightley and contributors
+dev,knex,MIT,Copyright (c) 2013-present Tim Griesser
 dev,mkdirp,MIT,Copyright 2010 James Halliday
 dev,mocha,MIT,Copyright 2011-2018 JS Foundation and contributors https://js.foundation
 dev,multer,MIT,Copyright 2014 Hage Yaapa
diff --git a/integration-tests/esbuild/basic-test.js b/integration-tests/esbuild/basic-test.js
index faf85fd1dea..20f53708b44 100755
--- a/integration-tests/esbuild/basic-test.js
+++ b/integration-tests/esbuild/basic-test.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const tracer = require('../../').init() // dd-trace
 const assert = require('assert')
 const express = require('express')
 const http = require('http')
+require('knex') // has dead code paths for multiple instrumented packages
 
 const app = express()
 const PORT = 31415
diff --git a/integration-tests/esbuild/build.js b/integration-tests/esbuild/build.js
index 3f3687b58ff..fa862f279ad 100755
--- a/integration-tests/esbuild/build.js
+++ b/integration-tests/esbuild/build.js
@@ -9,7 +9,18 @@ esbuild.build({
   outfile: 'out.js',
   plugins: [ddPlugin],
   platform: 'node',
-  target: ['node16']
+  target: ['node16'],
+  external: [
+    // dead code paths introduced by knex
+    'pg',
+    'mysql2',
+    'better-sqlite3',
+    'sqlite3',
+    'mysql',
+    'oracledb',
+    'pg-query-stream',
+    'tedious'
+  ]
 }).catch((err) => {
   console.error(err) // eslint-disable-line no-console
   process.exit(1)
diff --git a/integration-tests/esbuild/package.json b/integration-tests/esbuild/package.json
index 1e70730cbe8..b25cbebccc5 100644
--- a/integration-tests/esbuild/package.json
+++ b/integration-tests/esbuild/package.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   "license": "ISC",
   "dependencies": {
     "esbuild": "0.16.12",
-    "express": "^4.16.2"
+    "express": "^4.16.2",
+    "knex": "^2.4.2"
   }
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c64cd55b71f..0c86e121ef4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
     "graphql": "0.13.2",
     "int64-buffer": "^0.1.9",
     "jszip": "^3.5.0",
+    "knex": "^2.4.2",
     "mkdirp": "^0.5.1",
     "mocha": "8",
     "msgpack-lite": "^0.1.26",
diff --git a/packages/datadog-esbuild/index.js b/packages/datadog-esbuild/index.js
index ee4b469ea40..71db959bed6 100644
--- a/packages/datadog-esbuild/index.js
+++ b/packages/datadog-esbuild/index.js
@@ -39,7 +39,19 @@ module.exports.setup = function (build) {
 
     if (args.namespace === 'file' && packagesOfInterest.has(packageName)) {
       // The file namespace is used when requiring files from disk in userland
-      const pathToPackageJson = require.resolve(`${packageName}/package.json`, { paths: [ args.resolveDir ] })
+
+      let pathToPackageJson
+      try {
+        pathToPackageJson = require.resolve(`${packageName}/package.json`, { paths: [ args.resolveDir ] })
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (err.code === 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND') {
+          console.warn(`Unable to open "${packageName}/package.json". Is the "${packageName}" package dead code?`)
+          return
+        } else {
+          throw err
+        }
+      }
+
       const pkg = require(pathToPackageJson)
 
       if (DEBUG) {