diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/info/FipsBuildParams.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/info/FipsBuildParams.java
index ae680ea505aa9..e1427466c702e 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/info/FipsBuildParams.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/info/FipsBuildParams.java
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ public static boolean isInFipsMode() {
         return DEFAULT_FIPS_MODE.equals(fipsMode);
     }
 
+    public static boolean isInFipsApprovedOnlyMode() {
+        return isInFipsMode() && "true".equals(System.getProperty("org.bouncycastle.fips.approved_only"));
+    }
+
     public static String getFipsMode() {
         return fipsMode;
     }
diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/testclusters/OpenSearchNode.java b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/testclusters/OpenSearchNode.java
index 2db93bd06f448..58b7fe318962d 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/testclusters/OpenSearchNode.java
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/java/org/opensearch/gradle/testclusters/OpenSearchNode.java
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ public synchronized void start() {
             logToProcessStdout("installed plugins");
         }
 
-        if (FipsBuildParams.isInFipsMode() && keystorePassword.isEmpty()) {
+        if (FipsBuildParams.isInFipsApprovedOnlyMode() && keystorePassword.isEmpty()) {
             throw new TestClustersException("Can not start " + this + " in FIPS JVM, missing keystore password");
         }