diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/BaseInternalPluginBuildPlugin.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/BaseInternalPluginBuildPlugin.java
index f709600fc7979..70d130605c15e 100644
--- a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/BaseInternalPluginBuildPlugin.java
+++ b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/BaseInternalPluginBuildPlugin.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.util.Util;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.info.BuildParams;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.precommit.JarHellPrecommitPlugin;
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.test.HistoricalFeaturesMetadataPlugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.plugin.PluginBuildPlugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.plugin.PluginPropertiesExtension;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.testclusters.ElasticsearchCluster;
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ public void apply(Project project) {
         project.getPluginManager().apply(PluginBuildPlugin.class);
         project.getPluginManager().apply(JarHellPrecommitPlugin.class);
         project.getPluginManager().apply(ElasticsearchJavaPlugin.class);
+        project.getPluginManager().apply(HistoricalFeaturesMetadataPlugin.class);
         // Clear default dependencies added by public PluginBuildPlugin as we add our
         // own project dependencies for internal builds
         // TODO remove once we removed default dependencies from PluginBuildPlugin