diff --git a/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/AbstractSmokeTest.groovy b/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/AbstractSmokeTest.groovy
index 8a246ed0c03..b256cc4fc4a 100644
--- a/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/AbstractSmokeTest.groovy
+++ b/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/AbstractSmokeTest.groovy
@@ -287,7 +287,8 @@ abstract class AbstractSmokeTest extends ProcessManager {
     }
   }
 
-  def setupSpec() {
+  @Override
+  protected void setupTracesConsumer() {
     startServer()
   }
 
diff --git a/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/ProcessManager.groovy b/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/ProcessManager.groovy
index 5f23eafb04f..5c06793dd15 100644
--- a/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/ProcessManager.groovy
+++ b/dd-smoke-tests/src/main/groovy/datadog/smoketest/ProcessManager.groovy
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ abstract class ProcessManager extends Specification {
     assert Files.isDirectory(Paths.get(buildDirectory))
     assert Files.isRegularFile(Paths.get(shadowJarPath))
 
+    setupTracesConsumer()
     beforeProcessBuilders()
 
     (0..<numberOfProcesses).each { idx ->
@@ -237,6 +238,8 @@ abstract class ProcessManager extends Specification {
     outputThreads.processTestLogLines { return checker(it) }
   }
 
+  protected abstract void setupTracesConsumer()
+
   protected void beforeProcessBuilders() {}
 
   protected ProcessBuilder createProcessBuilder() {