diff --git a/oak-it-osgi/pom.xml b/oak-it-osgi/pom.xml
index c561fac8fbe..c431ce61057 100644
--- a/oak-it-osgi/pom.xml
+++ b/oak-it-osgi/pom.xml
@@ -317,7 +317,6 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.apache.sling</groupId>
       <artifactId>org.apache.sling.testing.paxexam</artifactId>
-      <version>4.1.2</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
diff --git a/oak-it-osgi/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/osgi/OSGiIT.java b/oak-it-osgi/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/osgi/OSGiIT.java
index 64c9e808ff9..1dfbf5fecb4 100644
--- a/oak-it-osgi/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/osgi/OSGiIT.java
+++ b/oak-it-osgi/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/osgi/OSGiIT.java
@@ -93,19 +93,17 @@ public Option[] configuration() throws IOException, URISyntaxException {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Provides Apache Aries SPI Fly 1.3.x for SLF4J 2.x service-loader mediation in OSGi.
-     * SPI Fly 1.2.x (bundled by sling.testing.paxexam 3.1.0) embeds ASM 5.x and cannot
-     * weave Java 11+ bytecode. Version 1.3.7 uses external ASM 9.x and supports modern class files.
+     * Provides service-loader mediation with ASM support for Java 25 class files.
      */
     static Option spyflyOptions() {
         return composite(
             mavenBundle("org.apache.aries", "org.apache.aries.util", "1.1.3"),
-            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm", "9.7.1"),
-            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-tree", "9.7.1"),
-            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-analysis", "9.7.1"),
-            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-commons", "9.7.1"),
-            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-util", "9.7.1"),
-            mavenBundle("org.apache.aries.spifly", "org.apache.aries.spifly.dynamic.bundle", "1.3.7")
+            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm", "9.10.1"),
+            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-tree", "9.10.1"),
+            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-analysis", "9.10.1"),
+            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-commons", "9.10.1"),
+            mavenBundle("org.ow2.asm", "asm-util", "9.10.1"),
+            mavenBundle("org.apache.aries.spifly", "org.apache.aries.spifly.dynamic.bundle", "1.3.8")
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/oak-parent/pom.xml b/oak-parent/pom.xml
index 7a4960a8bea..347b4986ec5 100644
--- a/oak-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/oak-parent/pom.xml
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>org.apache.sling</groupId>
         <artifactId>org.apache.sling.testing.paxexam</artifactId>
-        <version>3.1.0</version>
+        <version>4.1.2</version>
         <scope>test</scope>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
diff --git a/oak-store-composite/pom.xml b/oak-store-composite/pom.xml
index 839e6c7f60e..9e2254ba06a 100644
--- a/oak-store-composite/pom.xml
+++ b/oak-store-composite/pom.xml
@@ -31,11 +31,6 @@
   <name>Oak Composite Store</name>
   <packaging>bundle</packaging>
 
-  <properties>
-    <!-- see https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OAK-12022 -->
-    <pax-exam.version>4.13.1</pax-exam.version>
-  </properties>
-
   <build>
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
diff --git a/oak-store-composite/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/composite/it/CompositeTestSupport.java b/oak-store-composite/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/composite/it/CompositeTestSupport.java
index 6727a89758c..9e27b6232d6 100644
--- a/oak-store-composite/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/composite/it/CompositeTestSupport.java
+++ b/oak-store-composite/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/composite/it/CompositeTestSupport.java
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ public abstract class CompositeTestSupport extends TestSupport {
 
     @Override
     protected ModifiableCompositeOption baseConfiguration() {
+        SlingOptions.versionResolver.setVersion("org.apache.aries.spifly",
+                "org.apache.aries.spifly.dynamic.framework.extension", "1.3.8");
         String bundlePath = System.getProperty("bundle.filename");
         if (bundlePath == null) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("This IT has to be called with system property 'bundle.filename' set to the path of this bundle jar");
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ public static Option jackrabbit() {
     protected static Option logging(String level) {
         return composite(
             mavenBundle("org.ops4j.pax.logging", "pax-logging-api", "1.11.13"),
-            SlingOptions.spyfly(),
+            SlingOptions.spifly(),
             mavenBundle("org.slf4j", "slf4j-api", "2.0.12"),
             mavenBundle("org.slf4j", "slf4j-simple", "2.0.12"),
             systemProperty("org.ops4j.pax.logging.DefaultServiceLog.level").value(level),