diff --git a/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/root.go b/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/root.go
index ab9c570..cd87c63 100644
--- a/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/root.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ var (
 	file                string
 	cache               string
 	debugging           bool
-	enableOpenTelemetry bool
 	proxyCertPath       string
 	collectorConfigPath string
 	extraHosts          []string
diff --git a/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/test.go b/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/test.go
index 1f8bbbc..827615c 100644
--- a/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/test.go
+++ b/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ var testCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			CollectorImage:      collectorImage,
 			Creds:               scenario.Input.Credentials,
 			Debug:               debugging,
-			EnableOpenTelemetry: enableOpenTelemetry,
 			Expected:            scenario.Output,
 			ExtraHosts:          extraHosts,
 			InputName:           file,
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ func init() {
 	testCmd.Flags().StringVar(&collectorConfigPath, "collector-config", "", "path to an OpenTelemetry collector config file")
 	testCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&pullImages, "pull", true, "pull the image if it isn't present")
 	testCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&debugging, "debug", false, "run an interactive shell inside the updater")
-	testCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&enableOpenTelemetry, "enable-opentelemetry", false, "enable OpenTelemetry tracing")
 	testCmd.Flags().StringArrayVarP(&volumes, "volume", "v", nil, "mount volumes in Docker")
 	testCmd.Flags().StringArrayVar(&extraHosts, "extra-hosts", nil, "Docker extra hosts setting on the proxy")
 	testCmd.Flags().DurationVarP(&timeout, "timeout", "t", 0, "max time to run an update")
diff --git a/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/update.go b/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/update.go
index 16380f8..74b5127 100644
--- a/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/update.go
+++ b/cmd/dependabot/internal/cmd/update.go
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ func NewUpdateCommand() *cobra.Command {
 				CollectorImage:      collectorImage,
 				Creds:               input.Credentials,
 				Debug:               debugging,
-				EnableOpenTelemetry: enableOpenTelemetry,
 				Expected:            nil, // update subcommand doesn't use expectations
 				ExtraHosts:          extraHosts,
 				InputName:           file,
@@ -102,7 +101,6 @@ func NewUpdateCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&collectorConfigPath, "collector-config", "", "path to an OpenTelemetry collector config file")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&pullImages, "pull", true, "pull the image if it isn't present")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&debugging, "debug", false, "run an interactive shell inside the updater")
-	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&enableOpenTelemetry, "enable-opentelemetry", false, "enable OpenTelemetry tracing")
 	cmd.Flags().StringArrayVarP(&volumes, "volume", "v", nil, "mount volumes in Docker")
 	cmd.Flags().StringArrayVar(&extraHosts, "extra-hosts", nil, "Docker extra hosts setting on the proxy")
 	cmd.Flags().DurationVarP(&timeout, "timeout", "t", 0, "max time to run an update")
diff --git a/internal/infra/run.go b/internal/infra/run.go
index 4ba91fd..d1f83b4 100644
--- a/internal/infra/run.go
+++ b/internal/infra/run.go
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ type RunParams struct {
 	PullImages bool
 	// run an interactive shell?
 	Debug bool
-	// EnableOpenTelemetry enables OpenTelemetry tracing
-	EnableOpenTelemetry bool
 	// Volumes are used to mount directories in Docker
 	Volumes []string
 	// Timeout specifies an optional maximum duration the CLI will run an update.
@@ -335,7 +333,7 @@ func runContainers(ctx context.Context, params RunParams, api *server.API) error
 			return err
 		}
 
-		if params.EnableOpenTelemetry == true {
+		if params.CollectorConfigPath != "" {
 			err = pullImage(ctx, cli, params.CollectorImage)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -365,7 +363,7 @@ func runContainers(ctx context.Context, params RunParams, api *server.API) error
 		go prox.TailLogs(ctx, cli)
 	}
 
-	if params.EnableOpenTelemetry {
+	if params.CollectorConfigPath != "" {
 		collector, err := NewCollector(ctx, cli, networks, &params, prox)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/internal/infra/updater.go b/internal/infra/updater.go
index 556acce..533a0be 100644
--- a/internal/infra/updater.go
+++ b/internal/infra/updater.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func NewUpdater(ctx context.Context, cli *client.Client, net *Networks, params *
 		Tty:   true, // prevent container from stopping
 	}
 
-	if params.EnableOpenTelemetry == true {
+	if params.CollectorConfigPath != "" {
 		containerCfg.Env = append(containerCfg.Env, "OTEL_ENABLED=true")
 	}