diff --git a/.gitlab/exploration-tests.yml b/.gitlab/exploration-tests.yml
index be3a36c384d..f8d39acbbbb 100644
--- a/.gitlab/exploration-tests.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/exploration-tests.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,25 @@ build-exploration-tests-image:
     - when: manual
       allow_failure: true
   before_script:
+    - |
+      mkdir -p "$HOME/.m2"
+      cat > "$HOME/.m2/settings.xml" <<EOF
+      <settings>
+        <mirrors>
+          <mirror>
+            <id>env-proxy</id>
+            <mirrorOf>*</mirrorOf>
+            <url>${MAVEN_REPOSITORY_PROXY}</url>
+          </mirror>
+        </mirrors>
+      </settings>
+      EOF
+    - export MVNW_REPOURL=${MAVEN_REPOSITORY_PROXY%/}
+    - export ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_mavenRepositoryProxy="$MAVEN_REPOSITORY_PROXY"
+    - export ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_gradlePluginProxy="$GRADLE_PLUGIN_PROXY"
+    # TODO: Centralize Gradle repository proxy initialization instead of reusing a smoke-test resource.
+    - mkdir -p "$HOME/.gradle/init.d"
+    - cp build-logic/smoke-test/src/main/resources/datadog/buildlogic/smoketest/proxy-repositories.init.gradle.kts "$HOME/.gradle/init.d/"
     - cp workspace/dd-java-agent/build/libs/*.jar /exploration-tests/dd-java-agent.jar
     - cp dd-java-agent/agent-debugger/exploration-tests/run-exploration-tests.sh /exploration-tests
     - cp dd-java-agent/agent-debugger/exploration-tests/exclude_*.txt /exploration-tests
diff --git a/build-logic/smoke-test/src/main/resources/datadog/buildlogic/smoketest/proxy-repositories.init.gradle.kts b/build-logic/smoke-test/src/main/resources/datadog/buildlogic/smoketest/proxy-repositories.init.gradle.kts
index 53d998e203c..4d059fd9645 100644
--- a/build-logic/smoke-test/src/main/resources/datadog/buildlogic/smoketest/proxy-repositories.init.gradle.kts
+++ b/build-logic/smoke-test/src/main/resources/datadog/buildlogic/smoketest/proxy-repositories.init.gradle.kts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import org.gradle.api.artifacts.repositories.MavenArtifactRepository
 import org.gradle.api.initialization.Settings
 import java.net.URI
 
+// Requires Gradle 6.8+ and assumes project repositories are allowed by the target build.
+
 gradle.beforeSettings(Action<Settings> {
   val gradlePluginProxy = providers.gradleProperty("gradlePluginProxy").orNull
   val mavenRepositoryProxy = providers.gradleProperty("mavenRepositoryProxy").orNull