diff --git a/pkg/pipe/swarm/swarm_test.go b/pkg/pipe/swarm/swarm_test.go
index 76d857931..839c2230c 100644
--- a/pkg/pipe/swarm/swarm_test.go
+++ b/pkg/pipe/swarm/swarm_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package swarm
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"log/slog"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/obi/pkg/internal/testutil"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/obi/pkg/pipe/msg"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/obi/pkg/pipe/swarm/swarms"
 )
 
 func TestSwarm_BuildWithError(t *testing.T) {
@@ -191,6 +194,63 @@ func TestSwarm_CancelTimeout_DontExit(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, cerr.runningIDs, "zombieRunner")
 }
 
+func TestSwarm_MutuallyExclusiveNodes(t *testing.T) {
+	// in the test graph, two parallel channels share an input channel and an output channel,
+	// but only one of the paths are enabled (halver or doubler, according to the "enabledNode" value)
+	// This test just checks that the messages flow accordingly and no channel is blocked
+	testGraph := func(ctx context.Context, enabledNode string) <-chan int {
+		inst := Instancer{}
+		inQueue := msg.NewQueue[int](msg.ChannelBufferLen(1), msg.Name("inQueue"))
+		outQueue := msg.NewQueue[int](msg.ChannelBufferLen(1), msg.Name("outQueue"))
+		inst.Add(func(_ context.Context) (RunFunc, error) {
+			if enabledNode != "doubler" {
+				return EmptyRunFunc()
+			}
+			in := inQueue.Subscribe()
+			return func(ctx context.Context) {
+				swarms.ForEachInput(ctx, in, slog.Debug, func(i int) {
+					outQueue.SendCtx(ctx, i*2)
+				})
+			}, nil
+		}, WithID("doubler"))
+		inst.Add(func(_ context.Context) (RunFunc, error) {
+			if enabledNode != "halver" {
+				return EmptyRunFunc()
+			}
+			in := inQueue.Subscribe()
+			return func(ctx context.Context) {
+				swarms.ForEachInput(ctx, in, slog.Debug, func(i int) {
+					outQueue.SendCtx(ctx, i/2)
+				})
+			}, nil
+		}, WithID("halver"))
+		outCh := outQueue.Subscribe(msg.SubscriberName("outputReader"))
+		runner, err := inst.Instance(ctx)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		runner.Start(ctx)
+		go func() {
+			inQueue.SendCtx(ctx, 2)
+			inQueue.SendCtx(ctx, 4)
+			inQueue.SendCtx(ctx, 6)
+		}()
+		return outCh
+	}
+
+	t.Run("enable doubler", func(t *testing.T) {
+		out := testGraph(t.Context(), "doubler")
+		assert.Equal(t, 4, testutil.ReadChannel(t, out, 5*time.Second))
+		assert.Equal(t, 8, testutil.ReadChannel(t, out, 5*time.Second))
+		assert.Equal(t, 12, testutil.ReadChannel(t, out, 5*time.Second))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("enable halver", func(t *testing.T) {
+		out := testGraph(t.Context(), "halver")
+		assert.Equal(t, 1, testutil.ReadChannel(t, out, 5*time.Second))
+		assert.Equal(t, 2, testutil.ReadChannel(t, out, 5*time.Second))
+		assert.Equal(t, 3, testutil.ReadChannel(t, out, 5*time.Second))
+	})
+}
+
 func assertDone(t *testing.T, s *Runner) {
 	timeout := time.After(5 * time.Second)
 	select {