diff --git a/config/plugins.go b/config/plugins.go
index 08a1acb34f5..0c438cbd7df 100644
--- a/config/plugins.go
+++ b/config/plugins.go
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ type Plugins struct {
 
 type Plugin struct {
 	Disabled bool
-	Config   interface{}
+	Config   interface{} `json:",omitempty"`
 }
diff --git a/test/cli/harness/node.go b/test/cli/harness/node.go
index 6403a2f1af6..0315e81dfc2 100644
--- a/test/cli/harness/node.go
+++ b/test/cli/harness/node.go
@@ -245,6 +245,14 @@ func (n *Node) Init(ipfsArgs ...string) *Node {
 		cfg.Swarm.DisableNatPortMap = true
 		cfg.Discovery.MDNS.Enabled = n.EnableMDNS
 		cfg.Routing.LoopbackAddressesOnLanDHT = config.True
+		// Telemetry disabled by default in tests.
+		cfg.Plugins = config.Plugins{
+			Plugins: map[string]config.Plugin{
+				"telemetry": config.Plugin{
+					Disabled: true,
+				},
+			},
+		}
 	})
 	return n
 }
diff --git a/test/cli/telemetry_test.go b/test/cli/telemetry_test.go
index 455ea7df112..69b87e80da3 100644
--- a/test/cli/telemetry_test.go
+++ b/test/cli/telemetry_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ func TestTelemetry(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Create a new node
 		node := harness.NewT(t).NewNode().Init()
+		node.SetIPFSConfig("Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled", false)
 
 		// Set the opt-out environment variable
 		node.Runner.Env["IPFS_TELEMETRY"] = "off"
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ func TestTelemetry(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Create a new node
 		node := harness.NewT(t).NewNode().Init()
+		node.SetIPFSConfig("Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled", false)
 
 		// Set opt-out via config
 		node.IPFS("config", "Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Config.Mode", "off")
@@ -106,6 +108,7 @@ func TestTelemetry(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Create a new node
 		node := harness.NewT(t).NewNode().Init()
+		node.SetIPFSConfig("Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled", false)
 
 		// Create a UUID file manually to simulate previous telemetry run
 		uuidPath := filepath.Join(node.Dir, "telemetry_uuid")
@@ -154,6 +157,7 @@ func TestTelemetry(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Create a new node
 		node := harness.NewT(t).NewNode().Init()
+		node.SetIPFSConfig("Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled", false)
 
 		// Capture daemon output
 		stdout := &harness.Buffer{}
@@ -255,6 +259,7 @@ func TestTelemetry(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Create a new node
 		node := harness.NewT(t).NewNode().Init()
+		node.SetIPFSConfig("Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled", false)
 
 		// Configure telemetry with a very short delay for testing
 		node.IPFS("config", "Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Config.Delay", "100ms")
diff --git a/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh b/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh
index e8030dcc4d0..413d0e92f78 100644
--- a/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh
@@ -205,6 +205,10 @@ test_init_ipfs() {
     ipfs init "${args[@]}" --profile=test > /dev/null
   '
 
+  test_expect_success "disable telemetry" '
+    test_config_set --bool Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled "true"
+  '
+
   test_expect_success "prepare config -- mounting" '
     mkdir mountdir ipfs ipns mfs &&
     test_config_set Mounts.IPFS "$(pwd)/ipfs" &&
@@ -227,6 +231,10 @@ test_init_ipfs_measure() {
     ipfs init "${args[@]}" --profile=test,flatfs-measure > /dev/null
   '
 
+  test_expect_success "disable telemetry" '
+    test_config_set --bool Plugins.Plugins.telemetry.Disabled "true"
+  '
+
   test_expect_success "prepare config -- mounting" '
     mkdir mountdir ipfs ipns &&
     test_config_set Mounts.IPFS "$(pwd)/ipfs" &&