diff --git a/app/pyproject.toml b/app/pyproject.toml
index 386db293..1deff3ce 100644
--- a/app/pyproject.toml
+++ b/app/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 [project]
 name = "github-runner-image-builder"
-version = "0.12.0"
+version = "0.13.0"
 authors = [
     { name = "Canonical IS DevOps", email = "is-devops-team@canonical.com" },
 ]
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ dependencies = { file = ["requirements.txt"] }
 
 [tool.pydocstyle]
 match = "src/github_runner_image_builder/cli.py"
-ignore = ["D301"] # ignore backshlashes in docstring - click lib uses them.
+ignore = ["D301"]                                # ignore backshlashes in docstring - click lib uses them.
 
 
 [tool.bandit]
diff --git a/app/src/github_runner_image_builder/templates/cloud-init.sh.j2 b/app/src/github_runner_image_builder/templates/cloud-init.sh.j2
index 1f905ee9..f13fe4b4 100644
--- a/app/src/github_runner_image_builder/templates/cloud-init.sh.j2
+++ b/app/src/github_runner_image_builder/templates/cloud-init.sh.j2
@@ -120,6 +120,12 @@ function install_yq() {
     /usr/bin/snap remove go
 }
 
+function install_opentelemetry_collector_snap() {
+    echo "Installing OpenTelemetry Collector snap"
+    /usr/bin/sudo snap install opentelemetry-collector --stable
+    /usr/bin/sudo snap disable opentelemetry-collector
+}
+
 function install_github_runner() {
     version="$1"
     arch="$2"
@@ -172,6 +178,7 @@ if [ $RELEASE != "focal" ]; then
     install_yarn
 fi
 install_yq
+install_opentelemetry_collector_snap
 install_github_runner "$github_runner_version" "$github_runner_arch"
 chown_home
 configure_system_users
diff --git a/app/tests/integration/commands.py b/app/tests/integration/commands.py
index e7d3e740..112f9b82 100644
--- a/app/tests/integration/commands.py
+++ b/app/tests/integration/commands.py
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ class Commands:
         name="check aproxy",
         command="sudo snap info aproxy && sudo snap services aproxy",
     ),
+    Commands(
+        name="check opentelemetry-collector snap installed and inactive",
+        command=(
+            "sudo snap services opentelemetry-collector | grep -q 'disabled' "
+            "&& sudo snap services opentelemetry-collector | grep -q 'inactive'"
+        ),
+    ),
     Commands(name="update apt in docker", command="docker run python:3.10-slim apt-get update"),
     Commands(name="docker version", command="docker version"),
     Commands(name="check python3 alias", command="python --version"),
diff --git a/app/tests/unit/test_openstack_builder.py b/app/tests/unit/test_openstack_builder.py
index 33099b40..2a1278e2 100644
--- a/app/tests/unit/test_openstack_builder.py
+++ b/app/tests/unit/test_openstack_builder.py
@@ -831,6 +831,12 @@ def test__generate_cloud_init_script(
     /usr/bin/snap remove go
 }}
 
+function install_opentelemetry_collector_snap() {{
+    echo "Installing OpenTelemetry Collector snap"
+    /usr/bin/sudo snap install opentelemetry-collector --stable
+    /usr/bin/sudo snap disable opentelemetry-collector
+}}
+
 function install_github_runner() {{
     version="$1"
     arch="$2"
@@ -884,6 +890,7 @@ def test__generate_cloud_init_script(
     install_yarn
 fi
 install_yq
+install_opentelemetry_collector_snap
 install_github_runner "$github_runner_version" "$github_runner_arch"
 chown_home
 configure_system_users\
diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 603312f4..8d00d65c 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 
 <!-- vale Canonical.007-Headings-sentence-case = NO -->
 
+## [#195 feat: otel-collector snap](https://github.com/canonical/github-runner-image-builder-operator/pull/195) (2026-02-11)
+* Install opentelemetry collector snap in the runner image.
+
 ## [#172 feat: apt upgrade](https://github.com/canonical/github-runner-image-builder-operator/pull/172) (2025-11-26)
 * Apply apt-update and apt-upgrade to GH runner images by applying them during cloud-init.