diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java
index f87bfa6548..4c6ec413b3 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * Default value for application name if {@code spring.application.name} is not set.
 	 */
-	private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICATION_NAME = "application";
+	private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICATION_NAME = "unknown_service";
 
 	private static final AttributeKey<String> ATTRIBUTE_KEY_SERVICE_NAME = AttributeKey.stringKey("service.name");
 
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
index 167be648bf..4cd6ef9023 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests {
 		this.runner.run((context) -> {
 			Resource resource = context.getBean(Resource.class);
 			assertThat(resource.getAttributes().asMap())
-				.contains(entry(ResourceAttributes.SERVICE_NAME, "application"));
+				.contains(entry(ResourceAttributes.SERVICE_NAME, "unknown_service"));
 		});
 	}