diff --git a/dd-java-agent/build.gradle b/dd-java-agent/build.gradle
index afe6ff2f2cf..093a203fbca 100644
--- a/dd-java-agent/build.gradle
+++ b/dd-java-agent/build.gradle
@@ -99,6 +99,16 @@ def includeShadowJar(TaskProvider<ShadowJar> shadowJarTask, String jarname) {
       rename '(^.*)\\.class$', '$1.classdata'
       // Rename LICENSE file since it clashes with license dir on non-case sensitive FSs (i.e. Mac)
       rename '^LICENSE$', 'LICENSE.renamed'
+      if (jarname == 'inst') {
+        // byte-buddy now ships classes optimized for Java8+ under META-INF/versions/9
+        // since we target Java8+ we can promote these classes over the pre-Java8 ones
+        duplicatesStrategy = DuplicatesStrategy.EXCLUDE
+        eachFile {
+          if (it.path.contains('META-INF/versions/9/net/bytebuddy')) {
+            it.path = it.path.replace('META-INF/versions/9/', '')
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
   }