diff --git a/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/fixtures/page_objects/service_map.ts b/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/fixtures/page_objects/service_map.ts
index e19054000db98..ca4103a6c4159 100644
--- a/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/fixtures/page_objects/service_map.ts
+++ b/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/fixtures/page_objects/service_map.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ export class ServiceMapPage {
   public serviceMapEdgeExploreTracesButton: Locator;
   public serviceMapOptionsPanel: Locator;
   public serviceMapFindInPageInput: Locator;
+  /**
+   * Native search `<input>` (`SERVICE_MAP_FIND_INPUT_ID`). Prefer this for fill/focus so React
+   * `onFocus` runs and find highlights sync (`service_map_find_in_page` gates on `isFocused`).
+   */
+  public serviceMapFindInPageNativeInput: Locator;
   public serviceMapFindMatchSummary: Locator;
 
   constructor(private readonly page: ScoutPage, private readonly kbnUrl: KibanaUrl) {
@@ -57,6 +62,7 @@ export class ServiceMapPage {
     );
     this.serviceMapOptionsPanel = page.testSubj.locator('serviceMapOptionsPanel');
     this.serviceMapFindInPageInput = page.testSubj.locator('serviceMapControlsSearch');
+    this.serviceMapFindInPageNativeInput = page.locator('#serviceMapFindInPageInput');
     this.serviceMapFindMatchSummary = page.testSubj.locator('serviceMapFindMatchSummary');
   }
 
@@ -206,6 +212,15 @@ export class ServiceMapPage {
     return this.serviceMapGraph.getByTestId(`serviceMapNode-service-${serviceName}`);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Highlight frame around the active find-in-page match (`HighlightWrapper` when `isActiveSearchMatch`).
+   */
+  getActiveFindMatchHighlightFrame(serviceName: string) {
+    return this.getServiceNodeRoot(serviceName).locator(
+      'xpath=ancestor::*[@data-test-subj="serviceMapNodeSearchHighlightFrame"][1]'
+    );
+  }
+
   /**
    * The clickable/focusable service circle only. Prefer this over role+name: when shown, violated/degrading SLO
    * badges can also be buttons whose accessible name includes the service name, so `getByRole('button', { name })`
diff --git a/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/parallel_tests/service_map/service_map_a11y.spec.ts b/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/parallel_tests/service_map/service_map_a11y.spec.ts
index f03727d2dbabd..d6ec7aa5224e3 100644
--- a/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/parallel_tests/service_map/service_map_a11y.spec.ts
+++ b/x-pack/solutions/observability/plugins/apm/test/scout/ui/parallel_tests/service_map/service_map_a11y.spec.ts
@@ -44,14 +44,31 @@ test.describe(
     }) => {
       await test.step('nodes have visible focus indicators when focused', async () => {
         await serviceMapPage.waitForServiceNodeToLoad(SERVICE_OPBEANS_JAVA);
-        await serviceMapPage.openFindInPageWithKeyboardShortcut();
-        await serviceMapPage.serviceMapFindInPageInput.fill(SERVICE_OPBEANS_JAVA);
-        await expect(serviceMapPage.serviceMapFindMatchSummary).toHaveText(/[1-9]/);
         const node = serviceMapPage.getServiceNode(SERVICE_OPBEANS_JAVA);
         await node.focus();
         await expect(node).toBeFocused();
       });
 
+      await test.step('find-in-page: highlight frame while focused, Enter centers match', async () => {
+        await serviceMapPage.focusBodyForMapShortcuts();
+        await serviceMapPage.openFindInPageWithKeyboardShortcut();
+        // Fill the real input (#serviceMapFindInPageInput) so EuiFieldSearch onFocus runs and
+        // highlight context updates (filling by layout test-subj alone can leave isFocused false).
+        await serviceMapPage.serviceMapFindInPageNativeInput.fill(SERVICE_OPBEANS_JAVA);
+        await expect(serviceMapPage.serviceMapFindMatchSummary).toHaveText(/[1-9]/);
+
+        // Highlights are driven only while the find field is focused; centering the map after Enter
+        // can move focus and clear highlights, so assert the frame before Enter.
+        const highlightFrame =
+          serviceMapPage.getActiveFindMatchHighlightFrame(SERVICE_OPBEANS_JAVA);
+        await expect(highlightFrame).toBeVisible();
+        await expect(highlightFrame).toHaveAttribute('data-search-active-match');
+
+        await serviceMapPage.serviceMapFindInPageNativeInput.press('Enter');
+        await serviceMapPage.settleServiceMapLayout();
+        await expect(serviceMapPage.serviceMapFindMatchSummary).toHaveText(/[1-9]/);
+      });
+
       await test.step('zoom controls are keyboard accessible', async () => {
         await serviceMapPage.clickFitView();
         await expect(serviceMapPage.zoomInBtnControl).toBeVisible();