diff --git a/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/spring-geode-smoke-tests-locator-application.gradle b/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/spring-geode-smoke-tests-locator-application.gradle
index 97e57755..afbc0832 100644
--- a/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/spring-geode-smoke-tests-locator-application.gradle
+++ b/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/spring-geode-smoke-tests-locator-application.gradle
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dependencies {
 	implementation "org.assertj:assertj-core"
 
 	implementation project(':spring-geode-starter')
-	//	implementation project(':spring-geode-starter-logging')
+	//implementation project(':spring-geode-starter-logging')
 
 	testImplementation('org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test') {
 		exclude group: 'org.junit.vintage', module: 'junit-vintage-engine'
diff --git a/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/java/example/app/geode/locator/SpringBootApacheGeodeLocatorApplicationSmokeTests.java b/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/java/example/app/geode/locator/SpringBootApacheGeodeLocatorApplicationSmokeTests.java
index 864e419f..49baa0c5 100644
--- a/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/java/example/app/geode/locator/SpringBootApacheGeodeLocatorApplicationSmokeTests.java
+++ b/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/java/example/app/geode/locator/SpringBootApacheGeodeLocatorApplicationSmokeTests.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package example.app.geode.locator;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
 import org.junit.AfterClass;
 import org.junit.BeforeClass;
@@ -70,18 +69,14 @@ public class SpringBootApacheGeodeLocatorApplicationSmokeTests extends ForkingCl
 
 		int locatorPort = findAvailablePort();
 
-		long waitTimeout = TimeUnit.SECONDS.toMillis(10);
-
 		startGemFireServer(ApacheGeodeLocator.class, String.valueOf(locatorPort));
-		waitForServerToStart(ApacheGeodeLocator.HOSTNAME_FOR_CLIENTS, locatorPort, waitTimeout);
 
 		System.setProperty(SPRING_DATA_GEMFIRE_LOCATORS_PROPERTY,
 			String.format("%1$s[%2$d]", ApacheGeodeLocator.HOSTNAME_FOR_CLIENTS, locatorPort));
 	}
 
 	@AfterClass
-	public static void stopGeodeLocator() {
-		stopGemFireServer();
+	public static void afterGeodeLocatorStop() {
 		System.clearProperty(SPRING_DATA_GEMFIRE_LOCATORS_PROPERTY);
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/resources/test.properties b/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/resources/test.properties
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a62744a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-geode-tests/smoke-tests/locator-application/src/test/resources/test.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Test Properties used to configure Spring Boot and Apache Geode during test execution.
+
+# Setting the following Apache Geode "internal" System property ("gemfire.Buffer.useHeapBuffers") because Apache Geode
+# is not fully Java 17 compatible and leads to the following error:
+# Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InaccessibleObjectException:
+# Unable to make public java.lang.Object java.nio.DirectByteBuffer.attachment() accessible:
+# module java.base does not "opens java.nio" to unnamed module @2e0fa5d3
+#	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.AccessibleObject.checkCanSetAccessible(AccessibleObject.java:354)
+#	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.AccessibleObject.checkCanSetAccessible(AccessibleObject.java:297)
+#	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.checkCanSetAccessible(Method.java:199)
+#	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.setAccessible(Method.java:193)
+#	at org.apache.geode.internal.net.BufferPool.getPoolableBuffer(BufferPool.java:343)
+#	... 69 more
+
+# The gemfire.BufferPool.useHeapBuffers property should technically be true, but due to an Apache Geode bug,
+# it is ignore entirely due to the first condition (#sigh); see https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/GEODE-10035.
+#system.gemfire.BufferPool.useHeapBuffers=true
+
+# Use this (GemFire) System property instead (effects the "first condition").
+system.p2p.nodirectBuffers=true