diff --git a/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/controller/ActivationRecordsGenerator.java b/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/controller/ActivationRecordsGenerator.java
index e50091f19e0..d832fcad8ee 100644
--- a/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/controller/ActivationRecordsGenerator.java
+++ b/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/controller/ActivationRecordsGenerator.java
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ public class ActivationRecordsGenerator {
                             .append("'zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable' set to 'false'. ");
                         records.add(ZkMigrationState.POST_MIGRATION.toRecord());
                     } else {
+                        // This log message is used in zookeeper_migration_test.py
                         logMessageBuilder
                             .append("Staying in ZK migration mode since 'zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable' ")
                             .append("is still 'true'. ");
diff --git a/tests/kafkatest/tests/core/zookeeper_migration_test.py b/tests/kafkatest/tests/core/zookeeper_migration_test.py
index 3fe871b10e1..b6f34e905c4 100644
--- a/tests/kafkatest/tests/core/zookeeper_migration_test.py
+++ b/tests/kafkatest/tests/core/zookeeper_migration_test.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from ducktape.errors import TimeoutError
 
 from kafkatest.services.console_consumer import ConsoleConsumer
 from kafkatest.services.kafka import KafkaService
-from kafkatest.services.kafka.config_property import CLUSTER_ID
+from kafkatest.services.kafka.config_property import CLUSTER_ID, LOG_DIRS
 from kafkatest.services.kafka.quorum import isolated_kraft, ServiceQuorumInfo, zk
 from kafkatest.services.verifiable_producer import VerifiableProducer
 from kafkatest.services.zookeeper import ZookeeperService
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ class TestMigration(ProduceConsumeValidateTest):
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
                                   isolated_kafka=self.kafka,
                                   server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.connect", self.zk.connect_setting()],
-                                                         ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"]],
+                                                         ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"],
+                                                         [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]],
                                   quorum_info_provider=remote_quorum)
         controller.start()
 
@@ -95,7 +96,11 @@ class TestMigration(ProduceConsumeValidateTest):
                                   version=DEV_BRANCH,
                                   quorum_info_provider=zk_quorum,
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
-                                  server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "false"]])
+                                  server_prop_overrides=[
+                                      ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "false"],
+                                      [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]
+                                  ])
+
         self.kafka.security_protocol = "PLAINTEXT"
         self.kafka.interbroker_security_protocol = "PLAINTEXT"
         self.zk.start()
@@ -148,7 +153,10 @@ class TestMigration(ProduceConsumeValidateTest):
                                   zk=self.zk,
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
                                   version=LATEST_3_4,
-                                  server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "false"]],
+                                  server_prop_overrides=[
+                                      ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "false"],
+                                      [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]
+                                  ],
                                   topics={self.topic: {"partitions": self.partitions,
                                                        "replication-factor": self.replication_factor,
                                                        'configs': {"min.insync.replicas": 2}}})
@@ -209,14 +217,18 @@ class TestMigration(ProduceConsumeValidateTest):
                                   version=LATEST_3_4,
                                   quorum_info_provider=zk_quorum,
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
-                                  server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"]])
+                                  server_prop_overrides=[
+                                      ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"],
+                                      [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]
+                                  ])
 
         remote_quorum = partial(ServiceQuorumInfo, isolated_kraft)
         controller = KafkaService(self.test_context, num_nodes=1, zk=self.zk, version=LATEST_3_4,
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
                                   isolated_kafka=self.kafka,
                                   server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.connect", self.zk.connect_setting()],
-                                                         ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"]],
+                                                         ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"],
+                                                         [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]],
                                   quorum_info_provider=remote_quorum)
 
         self.kafka.security_protocol = "PLAINTEXT"
@@ -259,7 +271,7 @@ class TestMigration(ProduceConsumeValidateTest):
                 try:
                     # Shouldn't have to wait too long to see this log message after startup
                     monitor.wait_until(
-                        "Staying in the ZK migration",
+                        "Staying in ZK migration",
                         timeout_sec=10.0, backoff_sec=.25,
                         err_msg=""
                     )
@@ -284,14 +296,17 @@ class TestMigration(ProduceConsumeValidateTest):
                                   version=DEV_BRANCH,
                                   quorum_info_provider=zk_quorum,
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
-                                  server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "false"]])
+                                  server_prop_overrides=[
+                                      ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "false"],
+                                      [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]])
 
         remote_quorum = partial(ServiceQuorumInfo, isolated_kraft)
         controller = KafkaService(self.test_context, num_nodes=1, zk=self.zk, version=DEV_BRANCH,
                                   allow_zk_with_kraft=True,
                                   isolated_kafka=self.kafka,
                                   server_prop_overrides=[["zookeeper.connect", self.zk.connect_setting()],
-                                                         ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"]],
+                                                         ["zookeeper.metadata.migration.enable", "true"],
+                                                         [LOG_DIRS, KafkaService.DATA_LOG_DIR_1]],
                                   quorum_info_provider=remote_quorum)
 
         self.kafka.security_protocol = "PLAINTEXT"