diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/observability_solution/apm/server/routes/service_map/transform_service_map_responses.ts b/x-pack/plugins/observability_solution/apm/server/routes/service_map/transform_service_map_responses.ts
index 824ec0e7fcc1b..c57a5bafb56d0 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/observability_solution/apm/server/routes/service_map/transform_service_map_responses.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/observability_solution/apm/server/routes/service_map/transform_service_map_responses.ts
@@ -86,9 +86,25 @@ export function getAllNodes(
   return allNodes;
 }
 
-export function getServiceNodes(allNodes: ConnectionNode[]) {
+export function getServiceNodes(
+  allNodes: ConnectionNode[],
+  discoveredServices: Array<{
+    from: ExternalConnectionNode;
+    to: ServiceConnectionNode;
+  }>
+) {
+  const connectionFromDiscoveredServices = discoveredServices
+    .filter(({ from, to }) => {
+      return (
+        allNodes.some((node) => node.id === getConnectionNodeId(from)) &&
+        !allNodes.some((node) => node.id === to[SERVICE_NAME])
+      );
+    })
+    .map(({ to }) => ({ ...to, id: getConnectionNodeId(to) }));
   // List of nodes that are services
-  const serviceNodes = allNodes.filter((node) => SERVICE_NAME in node) as ServiceConnectionNode[];
+  const serviceNodes = [...allNodes, ...connectionFromDiscoveredServices].filter(
+    (node) => SERVICE_NAME in node
+  ) as ServiceConnectionNode[];
 
   return serviceNodes;
 }
@@ -108,12 +124,16 @@ export function transformServiceMapResponses({
   const { discoveredServices, services, connections, anomalies } = response;
   const allConnections = addMessagingConnections(connections, discoveredServices);
   const allNodes = getAllNodes(services, allConnections);
-  const serviceNodes = getServiceNodes(allNodes);
+  const serviceNodes = getServiceNodes(allNodes, discoveredServices);
 
   // List of nodes that are externals
-  const externalNodes = allNodes.filter(
-    (node) => SPAN_DESTINATION_SERVICE_RESOURCE in node
-  ) as ExternalConnectionNode[];
+  const externalNodes = Array.from(
+    new Set(
+      allNodes.filter(
+        (node) => SPAN_DESTINATION_SERVICE_RESOURCE in node
+      ) as ExternalConnectionNode[]
+    )
+  );
 
   // 1. Map external nodes to internal services
   // 2. Collapse external nodes into one node based on span.destination.service.resource
diff --git a/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps.spec.ts b/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps.spec.ts
index 334b73d8db4cb..83965595020da 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps.spec.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps.spec.ts
@@ -153,13 +153,11 @@ export default function serviceMapsApiTests({ getService }: FtrProviderContext)
 
       it('returns the correct data', () => {
         const elements: Array<{ data: Record<string, any> }> = response.body.elements;
-
         const serviceNames = uniq(
           elements
             .filter((element) => element.data['service.name'] !== undefined)
             .map((element) => element.data['service.name'])
         ).sort();
-
         expectSnapshot(serviceNames).toMatchInline(`
               Array [
                 "auditbeat",
diff --git a/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps_kuery_filter.spec.ts b/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps_kuery_filter.spec.ts
index 4be91cbe7bab6..b87e0de70495e 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps_kuery_filter.spec.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/apm_api_integration/tests/service_maps/service_maps_kuery_filter.spec.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ export default function ApiTest({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
   }
 
   registry.when('Service Map', { config: 'trial', archives: [] }, () => {
-    // FLAKY: https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/176982
     describe('optional kuery param', () => {
       before(async () => {
         const events = timerange(start, end)