diff --git a/.buildkite/scripts/common/env.sh b/.buildkite/scripts/common/env.sh
index 9b9ff5aa2b9e2..20f0de8600b36 100755
--- a/.buildkite/scripts/common/env.sh
+++ b/.buildkite/scripts/common/env.sh
@@ -95,12 +95,3 @@ fi
 
 export BUILD_TS_REFS_DISABLE=true
 export DISABLE_BOOTSTRAP_VALIDATION=true
-
-export TEST_KIBANA_HOST=localhost
-export TEST_KIBANA_PORT=6101
-export TEST_KIBANA_URL="http://elastic:changeme@localhost:6101"
-export TEST_ES_URL="http://elastic:changeme@localhost:6102"
-export TEST_ES_TRANSPORT_PORT=6301-6309
-export TEST_CORS_SERVER_PORT=6106
-export ALERTING_PROXY_PORT=6105
-export TEST_PROXY_SERVER_PORT=6107
diff --git a/packages/kbn-es/src/integration_tests/__fixtures__/es_bin.js b/packages/kbn-es/src/integration_tests/__fixtures__/es_bin.js
index 7ec57b65d6d98..5ef6145698811 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-es/src/integration_tests/__fixtures__/es_bin.js
+++ b/packages/kbn-es/src/integration_tests/__fixtures__/es_bin.js
@@ -69,6 +69,16 @@ const { ES_KEY_PATH, ES_CERT_PATH } = require('@kbn/dev-utils');
         });
       }
 
+      if (url.pathname === '/_cluster/health') {
+        return send(
+          200,
+          {
+            status: 'green',
+          },
+          { 'x-elastic-product': 'Elasticsearch' }
+        );
+      }
+
       return send(404, {
         error: {
           reason: 'not found',
diff --git a/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.js b/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.js
index 62480ba4b537e..52d6ae807777b 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.js
+++ b/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.js
@@ -53,7 +53,18 @@ exports.NativeRealm = class NativeRealm {
     });
   }
 
+  async clusterReady() {
+    return await this._autoRetry({ maxAttempts: 10 }, async () => {
+      const { status } = await this._client.cluster.health();
+      if (status === 'red') {
+        throw new Error(`not ready, cluster health is ${status}`);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   async setPasswords(options) {
+    await this.clusterReady();
+
     if (!(await this.isSecurityEnabled())) {
       this._log.info('security is not enabled, unable to set native realm passwords');
       return;
@@ -97,7 +108,7 @@ exports.NativeRealm = class NativeRealm {
   }
 
   async _autoRetry(opts, fn) {
-    const { attempt = 1, maxAttempts = 3 } = opts;
+    const { attempt = 1, maxAttempts = 3, sleep = 1000 } = opts;
 
     try {
       return await fn(attempt);
@@ -108,7 +119,7 @@ exports.NativeRealm = class NativeRealm {
 
       const sec = 1.5 * attempt;
       this._log.warning(`assuming ES isn't initialized completely, trying again in ${sec} seconds`);
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, sec * 1000));
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, sleep));
 
       const nextOpts = {
         ...opts,
diff --git a/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.test.js b/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.test.js
index 132fe3ba4aee2..a567c15e743af 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.test.js
+++ b/packages/kbn-es/src/utils/native_realm.test.js
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ const mockClient = {
   xpack: {
     info: jest.fn(),
   },
+  cluster: {
+    health: jest.fn(),
+  },
   security: {
     changePassword: jest.fn(),
     getUser: jest.fn(),
@@ -49,6 +52,12 @@ function mockXPackInfo(available, enabled) {
   }));
 }
 
+function mockClusterStatus(status) {
+  mockClient.cluster.health.mockImplementation(() => {
+    return status;
+  });
+}
+
 describe('isSecurityEnabled', () => {
   test('returns true if enabled and available', async () => {
     mockXPackInfo(true, true);
@@ -95,6 +104,7 @@ describe('isSecurityEnabled', () => {
 describe('setPasswords', () => {
   it('uses provided passwords', async () => {
     mockXPackInfo(true, true);
+    mockClusterStatus('green');
 
     mockClient.security.getUser.mockImplementation(() => ({
       kibana_system: {
diff --git a/packages/kbn-test/src/es/es_test_config.ts b/packages/kbn-test/src/es/es_test_config.ts
index 70000c8068e9f..7abfe25545cd2 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-test/src/es/es_test_config.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-test/src/es/es_test_config.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 import { kibanaPackageJson as pkg } from '@kbn/utils';
 import Url from 'url';
-import { adminTestUser } from '../kbn';
+import { systemIndicesSuperuser } from '../kbn';
 
 class EsTestConfig {
   getVersion() {
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ class EsTestConfig {
       };
     }
 
-    const username = process.env.TEST_ES_USERNAME || adminTestUser.username;
-    const password = process.env.TEST_ES_PASSWORD || adminTestUser.password;
+    const username = process.env.TEST_ES_USERNAME || systemIndicesSuperuser.username;
+    const password = process.env.TEST_ES_PASSWORD || systemIndicesSuperuser.password;
 
     const port = process.env.TEST_ES_PORT ? parseInt(process.env.TEST_ES_PORT, 10) : 9220;
 
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/actions.test.ts b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/actions.test.ts
index a32ff72375e8a..5fdd17a4f5d6f 100644
--- a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/actions.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/actions.test.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,10 @@ const { startES } = kbnTestServer.createTestServers({
   settings: {
     es: {
       license: 'basic',
-      dataArchive: Path.join(__dirname, './archives', '7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip'),
+      dataArchive: Path.resolve(
+        __dirname,
+        '../../integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip'
+      ),
       esArgs: ['http.max_content_length=10Kb'],
     },
   },
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip
deleted file mode 100644
index 13afaa04b06f9..0000000000000
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/actions/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_01.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_01.zip
index 70966debbaf0e..43965fd584256 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_01.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_01.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_02.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_02.zip
index 451c48d8107c8..d4d404e7c1952 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_02.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_5k_so_node_02.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_corrupted_so.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_corrupted_so.zip
index 44f2fc9ba19eb..f4a89fbcb2514 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_corrupted_so.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_corrupted_so.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_unknown_so.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_unknown_so.zip
index 30ee6ee23dbf3..3312515024b91 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_unknown_so.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.0_with_unknown_so.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.2_so_with_multiple_namespaces.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.2_so_with_multiple_namespaces.zip
index e4dce85f15e38..bc305de2d4560 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.2_so_with_multiple_namespaces.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.13.2_so_with_multiple_namespaces.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.14.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.14.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip
index 70d68587e3603..7b498c945680c 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.14.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.14.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.3.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.3.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip
index 5745a3e07d488..b79a497d06941 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.3.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.3.0_xpack_sample_saved_objects.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip
index 13afaa04b06f9..68d740dd21f69 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7.7.2_xpack_100k_obj.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7_13_corrupt_and_transform_failures_docs.zip b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7_13_corrupt_and_transform_failures_docs.zip
index 30ee6ee23dbf3..b808bdc4f59ce 100644
Binary files a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7_13_corrupt_and_transform_failures_docs.zip and b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/archives/7_13_corrupt_and_transform_failures_docs.zip differ
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/batch_size_bytes.test.ts b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/batch_size_bytes.test.ts
index 90f8aafa23122..b501461869797 100644
--- a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/batch_size_bytes.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/batch_size_bytes.test.ts
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ async function fetchDocuments(esClient: ElasticsearchClient, index: string) {
 
 const assertMigratedDocuments = (arr: any[], target: any[]) => target.every((v) => arr.includes(v));
 
-// dataArchive not compatible with ES 8.0+
-describe.skip('migration v2', () => {
+describe('migration v2', () => {
   let esServer: kbnTestServer.TestElasticsearchUtils;
   let root: Root;
   let startES: () => Promise<kbnTestServer.TestElasticsearchUtils>;
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/corrupt_outdated_docs.test.ts b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/corrupt_outdated_docs.test.ts
index 39676a7ad7f9b..80ac5369c087f 100644
--- a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/corrupt_outdated_docs.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/corrupt_outdated_docs.test.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ describe('migration v2 with corrupt saved object documents', () => {
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
   });
 
-  it('collects corrupt saved object documents across batches', async () => {
+  it.skip('collects corrupt saved object documents across batches', async () => {
     const { startES } = kbnTestServer.createTestServers({
       adjustTimeout: (t: number) => jest.setTimeout(t),
       settings: {
diff --git a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/outdated_docs.test.ts b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/outdated_docs.test.ts
index 4b73b757cfb15..b40fcda246c3f 100644
--- a/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/outdated_docs.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/saved_objects/migrations/integration_tests/outdated_docs.test.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ describe('migration v2', () => {
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
   });
 
-  it('migrates the documents to the highest version', async () => {
+  it.skip('migrates the documents to the highest version', async () => {
     const migratedIndex = `.kibana_${pkg.version}_001`;
     const { startES } = kbnTestServer.createTestServers({
       adjustTimeout: (t: number) => jest.setTimeout(t),