diff --git a/.github/workflows/backwards_compatibility_tests_workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/backwards_compatibility_tests_workflow.yml
index e5069bf41..82b70dcf0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backwards_compatibility_tests_workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backwards_compatibility_tests_workflow.yml
@@ -36,12 +36,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run NeuralSearch Restart-Upgrade BWC Tests from BWCVersion-${{ matrix.bwc_version }} to OpenSearch Version-${{ matrix.opensearch_version }} on ${{matrix.os}}
         run: |
           echo "Running restart-upgrade backwards compatibility tests ..."
-         ./gradlew :qa:restart-upgrade:testAgainstNewCluster -D'tests.bwc.version=${{ matrix.bwc_version }}'
+          ./gradlew :qa:restart-upgrade:testAgainstNewCluster -D'tests.bwc.version=${{ matrix.bwc_version }}'
 
   Rolling-Upgrade-BWCTests-NeuralSearch:
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        java: [ 11, 17, 21 ]
+        # Restricting java 21 to 21.0.1 due to ongoing bug in JDK 21.0.2 https://bugs.openjdk.org/browse/JDK-8323659. Once the fix https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/pull/11968 get merged this change will be reverted.
+        java: [ 11, 17, 21.0.1 ]
         os: [ubuntu-latest,windows-latest]
         bwc_version: [ "2.12.0-SNAPSHOT" ]
         opensearch_version: [ "3.0.0-SNAPSHOT" ]
@@ -63,4 +64,4 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run NeuralSearch Rolling-Upgrade BWC Tests from BWCVersion-${{ matrix.bwc_version }} to OpenSearch Version-${{ matrix.opensearch_version }} on ${{matrix.os}}
         run: |
           echo "Running rolling-upgrade backwards compatibility tests ..."
-         ./gradlew :qa:rolling-upgrade:testRollingUpgrade -D'tests.bwc.version=${{ matrix.bwc_version }}'
+          ./gradlew :qa:rolling-upgrade:testRollingUpgrade -D'tests.bwc.version=${{ matrix.bwc_version }}'
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/neuralsearch/query/NeuralSparseQueryIT.java b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/neuralsearch/query/NeuralSparseQueryIT.java
index 9aea33db5..4ca8f2186 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/neuralsearch/query/NeuralSparseQueryIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/neuralsearch/query/NeuralSparseQueryIT.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class NeuralSparseQueryIT extends BaseNeuralSearchIT {
     public void setUp() throws Exception {
         super.setUp();
         updateClusterSettings();
-        prepareModel();
+        prepareSparseEncodingModel();
     }
 
     @After