diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 4bef85be6ef..b08cd552e6f 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: "v25.11-" # 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: "126_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)$/ # the latest "stable" version is LTS v25
   PROFILE_TESTS:
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/datadog/gradle/plugin/testJvmConstraints/TestJvmSpec.kt b/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/datadog/gradle/plugin/testJvmConstraints/TestJvmSpec.kt
index d78e96e68f0..054a4fb3252 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/datadog/gradle/plugin/testJvmConstraints/TestJvmSpec.kt
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/datadog/gradle/plugin/testJvmConstraints/TestJvmSpec.kt
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class TestJvmSpec(val project: Project) {
     if (testJvm == "stable") {
       val javaVersions = project.providers.environmentVariablesPrefixedBy("JAVA_").map { javaHomes ->
         javaHomes
-          .filter { it.key.matches(Regex("^JAVA_[0-9]+_HOME$")) }
+          .filter { it.key.matches(Regex("^JAVA_[0-9]+_HOME$")) && it.key != "JAVA_26_HOME" } // JDK 26 is EA
           .map { Regex("^JAVA_(\\d+)_HOME$").find(it.key)!!.groupValues[1].toInt() }
       }.get()