diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 5a1ba7456c9..0fd8d9a304e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ variables:
   GRADLE_VERSION: "8.14.3" # must match gradle-wrapper.properties
   MAVEN_REPOSITORY_PROXY: "https://depot-read-api-java.us1.ddbuild.io/magicmirror/magicmirror/@current/"
   GRADLE_PLUGIN_PROXY: "https://depot-read-api-java.us1.ddbuild.io/magicmirror/magicmirror/@current/"
-  BUILDER_IMAGE_VERSION_PREFIX: "v25.09-" # use either an empty string (e.g. "") for latest images or a version followed by a hyphen (e.g. "v25.05-")
+  BUILDER_IMAGE_VERSION_PREFIX: "119_merge-" # use either an empty string (e.g. "") for latest images or a version followed by a hyphen (e.g. "v25.05-")
   REPO_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL: "#apm-java-escalations"
   DEFAULT_TEST_JVMS: /^(8|11|17|21|25)$/ # the latest "stable" version is LTS v25
   PROFILE_TESTS:
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ test_smoke_graalvm:
     NON_DEFAULT_JVMS: "true"
   parallel:
     matrix:
-      - testJvm: ["graalvm17", "graalvm21"]
+      - testJvm: ["graalvm17", "graalvm21", "graalvm25"]
 
 test_smoke_semeru8_debugger:
   extends: .test_job
diff --git a/dd-smoke-tests/spring-boot-3.0-native/application/build.gradle b/dd-smoke-tests/spring-boot-3.0-native/application/build.gradle
index 7a3c9737289..a545d93ece0 100644
--- a/dd-smoke-tests/spring-boot-3.0-native/application/build.gradle
+++ b/dd-smoke-tests/spring-boot-3.0-native/application/build.gradle
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ if (hasProperty('agentPath')) {
         // quick build mode, enough for smoke test
         buildArgs.add("-Ob")
         buildArgs.add("-J-javaagent:$agentPath")
+        buildArgs.add("-J-Dnet.bytebuddy.safe=false")
         if (withProfiler && property('profiler') == 'true') {
           buildArgs.add("-J-Ddd.profiling.enabled=true")
         }