diff --git a/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_consumer.py b/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_consumer.py
index 99c403ce190f0..9a8a294a2aa97 100644
--- a/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_consumer.py
+++ b/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_consumer.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 from kafkatest.services.kafka import TopicPartition, consumer_group
 from kafkatest.services.kafka.util import get_log4j_config_param, get_log4j_config_for_tools
 from kafkatest.services.verifiable_client import VerifiableClientMixin
-from kafkatest.version import DEV_BRANCH, V_2_3_0, V_2_3_1, V_3_7_0, V_4_0_0
+from kafkatest.version import get_version, DEV_BRANCH, V_2_3_0, V_2_3_1, V_3_7_0, V_4_0_0
 
 
 class ConsumerState:
@@ -424,7 +424,12 @@ def start_cmd(self, node):
         if self.max_messages > 0:
             cmd += " --max-messages %s" % str(self.max_messages)
 
-        cmd += " --command-config %s" % VerifiableConsumer.CONFIG_FILE
+        version = get_version(node)
+        if version.supports_command_config():
+            cmd += " --command-config %s" % VerifiableConsumer.CONFIG_FILE
+        else:
+            cmd += " --consumer.config %s" % VerifiableConsumer.CONFIG_FILE
+
         cmd += " 2>> %s | tee -a %s &" % (VerifiableConsumer.STDOUT_CAPTURE, VerifiableConsumer.STDOUT_CAPTURE)
         return cmd
 
diff --git a/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_producer.py b/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_producer.py
index 049de4ce98619..12168422ed913 100644
--- a/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_producer.py
+++ b/tests/kafkatest/services/verifiable_producer.py
@@ -249,7 +249,10 @@ def start_cmd(self, node, idx):
         if self.repeating_keys is not None:
             cmd += " --repeating-keys %s " % str(self.repeating_keys)
 
-        cmd += " --command-config %s" % VerifiableProducer.CONFIG_FILE
+        if version.supports_command_config():
+            cmd += " --command-config %s" % VerifiableProducer.CONFIG_FILE
+        else:
+            cmd += " --producer.config %s" % VerifiableProducer.CONFIG_FILE
 
         cmd += " 2>> %s | tee -a %s &" % (VerifiableProducer.STDOUT_CAPTURE, VerifiableProducer.STDOUT_CAPTURE)
         return cmd
diff --git a/tests/kafkatest/version.py b/tests/kafkatest/version.py
index 350f833fecbf1..e4d600ac40337 100644
--- a/tests/kafkatest/version.py
+++ b/tests/kafkatest/version.py
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ def supports_fk_joins(self):
     def supports_feature_command(self):
         return self >= V_3_8_0
 
+    def supports_command_config(self):
+        # According to KIP-1147, --producer.config and --consumer.config have been deprecated and will be removed in future versions
+        # For backward compatibility, we select the configuration based on node version:
+        # - For versions 4.2.0 and above, use --command-config
+        # - For older versions, continue using --producer.config or --consumer.config
+        return self >= V_4_2_0
+
 def get_version(node=None):
     """Return the version attached to the given node.
     Default to DEV_BRANCH if node or node.version is undefined (aka None)
@@ -223,3 +230,7 @@ def get_version(node=None):
 # 4.1.x version
 V_4_1_0 = KafkaVersion("4.1.0")
 LATEST_4_1 = V_4_1_0
+
+# 4.2.x version
+V_4_2_0 = KafkaVersion("4.2.0")
+LATEST_4_2 = V_4_2_0
diff --git a/tools/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/tools/VerifiableConsumer.java b/tools/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/tools/VerifiableConsumer.java
index 1ecea5331ddf8..55de4892806a9 100644
--- a/tools/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/tools/VerifiableConsumer.java
+++ b/tools/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/tools/VerifiableConsumer.java
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ public static VerifiableConsumer createFromArgs(ArgumentParser parser, String[]
         }
         if (commandConfigFile != null) {
             try {
-                consumerProps.putAll(Utils.loadProps(res.getString(commandConfigFile)));
+                consumerProps.putAll(Utils.loadProps(commandConfigFile));
             } catch (IOException e) {
                 throw new ArgumentParserException(e.getMessage(), parser);
             }