diff --git a/reports-scheduler/build.gradle b/reports-scheduler/build.gradle
index 026e4c3e..115e4811 100644
--- a/reports-scheduler/build.gradle
+++ b/reports-scheduler/build.gradle
@@ -318,33 +318,55 @@ String bwcFilePath = "src/test/resources/bwc"
 }
 
 List<Provider<RegularFile>> plugins = [
-        provider(new Callable<RegularFile>(){
-            @Override
-            RegularFile call() throws Exception {
-                return new RegularFile() {
-                    @Override
-                    File getAsFile() {
-                        return fileTree(bwcFilePath + "/job-scheduler/" + project.version).getSingleFile()
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }),
-        provider(new Callable<RegularFile>(){
-            @Override
-            RegularFile call() throws Exception {
-                return new RegularFile() {
+//        provider(new Callable<RegularFile>(){
+//            @Override
+//            RegularFile call() throws Exception {
+//                return new RegularFile() {
+//                    @Override
+//                    File getAsFile() {
+//                        return fileTree(bwcFilePath + "/job-scheduler/" + project.version).getSingleFile()
+//                    }
+//                }
+//            }
+//        }),
+//        provider(new Callable<RegularFile>(){
+//            @Override
+//            RegularFile call() throws Exception {
+//                return new RegularFile() {
+//                    @Override
+//                    File getAsFile() {
+//                        return fileTree(bwcFilePath + "/reports-scheduler/" + project.version).getSingleFile()
+//                    }
+//                }
+//            }
+//        })
+]
+
+// Ensure the artifact for the current project version is available to be used for the bwc tests
+task prepareBwcTests {
+    dependsOn bundle
+    doLast {
+        plugins = [
+                provider(new Callable<RegularFile>(){
                     @Override
-                    File getAsFile() {
-                        return fileTree(bwcFilePath + "/reports-scheduler/" + project.version).getSingleFile()
+                    RegularFile call() throws Exception {
+                        return new RegularFile() {
+                            @Override
+                            File getAsFile() {
+                                return fileTree(bwcFilePath + "/job-scheduler/" + project.version).getSingleFile()
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
-                }
-            }
-        })
-]
+                }),
+                project.getObjects().fileProperty().value(bundle.getArchiveFile())
+        ]
+    }
+}
 
 // Create two test clusters with 3 nodes of the old version
 2.times {i ->
     task "${baseName}#oldVersionClusterTask$i"(type: StandaloneRestIntegTestTask) {
+        dependsOn 'prepareBwcTests'
         useCluster testClusters."${baseName}$i"
         filter {
             includeTestsMatching "org.opensearch.reportsscheduler.bwc.*IT"
diff --git a/reports-scheduler/src/test/kotlin/org/opensearch/reportsscheduler/bwc/ReportsSchedulerBackwardsCompatibilityIT.kt b/reports-scheduler/src/test/kotlin/org/opensearch/reportsscheduler/bwc/ReportsSchedulerBackwardsCompatibilityIT.kt
index 0c258dfd..571b4d45 100644
--- a/reports-scheduler/src/test/kotlin/org/opensearch/reportsscheduler/bwc/ReportsSchedulerBackwardsCompatibilityIT.kt
+++ b/reports-scheduler/src/test/kotlin/org/opensearch/reportsscheduler/bwc/ReportsSchedulerBackwardsCompatibilityIT.kt
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ class ReportsSchedulerBackwardsCompatibilityIT : PluginRestTestCase() {
         )
         val legacyReportDefinitionId = legacyReportDefinitionResponse.get("reportDefinitionId").asString
         Assert.assertNotNull("reportDefinitionId should be generated", legacyReportDefinitionId)
+        // adding this wait time for the scheduler to create a report instance in the report-instance index,
+        // based on this report definition
         Thread.sleep(610000)
     }