diff --git a/test/api_integration/services/supertest.ts b/test/api_integration/services/supertest.ts
index 6680c7b203bd5..baf42703c64a0 100644
--- a/test/api_integration/services/supertest.ts
+++ b/test/api_integration/services/supertest.ts
@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@ export function KibanaSupertestProvider({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
 export function ElasticsearchSupertestProvider({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
   const config = getService('config');
   const esServerConfig = config.get('servers.elasticsearch');
+
+  // For stateful tests, use system indices user so tests can write to system indices
+  // For serverless tests, we don't have a system indices user, so we're using the default superuser
   const elasticSearchServerUrl = formatUrl({
     ...esServerConfig,
-    // Use system indices user so tests can write to system indices
-    auth: `${systemIndicesSuperuser.username}:${systemIndicesSuperuser.password}`,
+    ...(config.get('serverless')
+      ? []
+      : { auth: `${systemIndicesSuperuser.username}:${systemIndicesSuperuser.password}` }),
   });
 
   let agentOptions = {};
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/elasticsearch_api.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/elasticsearch_api.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b55f36cab29aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/elasticsearch_api.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+import { FtrProviderContext } from '../../ftr_provider_context';
+
+export default function ({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
+  const esSupertest = getService('esSupertest');
+  const svlCommonApi = getService('svlCommonApi');
+
+  describe('Elasticsearch API', function () {
+    it('can request /', async () => {
+      const { body, status } = await esSupertest.get('/');
+      svlCommonApi.assertResponseStatusCode(200, status, body);
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/index.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/index.ts
index ae68f7ec7670c..fffe386b7c2ba 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/api_integration/test_suites/common/index.ts
@@ -34,5 +34,6 @@ export default function ({ loadTestFile }: FtrProviderContext) {
     loadTestFile(require.resolve('./scripts_tests'));
     loadTestFile(require.resolve('./search_oss'));
     loadTestFile(require.resolve('./search_xpack'));
+    loadTestFile(require.resolve('./elasticsearch_api'));
   });
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/config.base.ts b/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/config.base.ts
index a15405cd0f231..5ea4a5eddf14f 100644
--- a/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/config.base.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test_serverless/shared/config.base.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ export default async () => {
       protocol: 'https',
       certificateAuthorities: process.env.TEST_CLOUD ? undefined : [Fs.readFileSync(CA_CERT_PATH)],
     },
-    elasticsearch: { ...esTestConfig.getUrlParts(), protocol: 'https' },
+    elasticsearch: {
+      ...esTestConfig.getUrlParts(),
+      protocol: 'https',
+      certificateAuthorities: process.env.TEST_CLOUD ? undefined : [Fs.readFileSync(CA_CERT_PATH)],
+    },
   };
 
   // "Fake" SAML provider