diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 22ed4b3101..89cc882f7c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ concurrency:
 # - elasticsearch 5, django 3.2, python 3.8, sqlite
 # - elasticsearch 6, django 3.2, python 3.8, postgres
 # - elasticsearch 7, django 4.1, python 3.8, postgres
-# - elasticsearch 7, django 4.2, python 3.9, sqlite, USE_EMAIL_USER_MODEL=yes
+# - elasticsearch 8, django 4.2, python 3.10, sqlite, USE_EMAIL_USER_MODEL=yes
 
 permissions:
   contents: read # to fetch code (actions/checkout)
@@ -231,12 +231,12 @@ jobs:
           name: coverage-data
           path: .coverage.*
 
-  test-sqlite-elasticsearch7:
+  test-sqlite-elasticsearch8:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
-          - python: '3.9'
+          - python: '3.10'
             django: 'Django>=4.2,<4.3'
             emailuser: emailuser
     steps:
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ jobs:
           sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144
       - uses: getong/elasticsearch-action@v1.2
         with:
-          elasticsearch version: 7.6.1
+          elasticsearch version: 8.8.0
           host port: 9200
           container port: 9200
           host node port: 9300
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ jobs:
           pip install certifi
       - name: Test
         run: |
-          coverage run --parallel-mode --source wagtail runtests.py wagtail.search wagtail.documents wagtail.images --elasticsearch7
+          coverage run --parallel-mode --source wagtail runtests.py wagtail.search wagtail.documents wagtail.images --elasticsearch8
         env:
           DATABASE_ENGINE: django.db.backends.sqlite3
           USE_EMAIL_USER_MODEL: ${{ matrix.emailuser }}
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ jobs:
       - test-postgres
       - test-mysql
       - test-sqlite-elasticsearch5
-      - test-sqlite-elasticsearch7
+      - test-sqlite-elasticsearch8
       - test-postgres-elasticsearch6
       - test-postgres-elasticsearch7
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/runtests.py b/runtests.py
index d8d8fc092a..98ff880122 100755
--- a/runtests.py
+++ b/runtests.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ def make_parser():
     parser.add_argument("--elasticsearch5", action="store_true")
     parser.add_argument("--elasticsearch6", action="store_true")
     parser.add_argument("--elasticsearch7", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--elasticsearch8", action="store_true")
     parser.add_argument("--emailuser", action="store_true")
     parser.add_argument("--disabletimezone", action="store_true")
     parser.add_argument("--bench", action="store_true")
@@ -69,6 +70,9 @@ def runtests():
     elif args.elasticsearch7:
         os.environ.setdefault("ELASTICSEARCH_URL", "http://localhost:9200")
         os.environ.setdefault("ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION", "7")
+    elif args.elasticsearch8:
+        os.environ.setdefault("ELASTICSEARCH_URL", "http://localhost:9200")
+        os.environ.setdefault("ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION", "8")
 
     elif "ELASTICSEARCH_URL" in os.environ:
         # forcibly delete the ELASTICSEARCH_URL setting to skip those tests
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 622ca6209a..ffac6d6e5c 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 skipsdist = True
 usedevelop = True
 
-envlist = py{38,39,310,311}-dj{32,41,42,42stable,main}-{sqlite,postgres,mysql,mssql}-{elasticsearch7,elasticsearch6,elasticsearch5,noelasticsearch}-{customuser,emailuser}-{tz,notz},
+envlist = py{38,39,310,311}-dj{32,41,42,42stable,main}-{sqlite,postgres,mysql,mssql}-{elasticsearch8,elasticsearch7,elasticsearch6,elasticsearch5,noelasticsearch}-{customuser,emailuser}-{tz,notz},
 
 [testenv]
 install_command = pip install -e ".[testing]" -U {opts} {packages}
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ commands =
     elasticsearch5: coverage run runtests.py wagtail.search wagtail.documents wagtail.images --elasticsearch5
     elasticsearch6: coverage run runtests.py wagtail.search wagtail.documents wagtail.images --elasticsearch6
     elasticsearch7: coverage run runtests.py wagtail.search wagtail.documents wagtail.images --elasticsearch7
+    elasticsearch8: coverage run runtests.py wagtail.search wagtail.documents wagtail.images --elasticsearch8
     noelasticsearch: coverage run runtests.py {posargs}
 
 basepython =
@@ -36,6 +37,8 @@ deps =
     elasticsearch6: certifi
     elasticsearch7: elasticsearch>=7,<8
     elasticsearch7: certifi
+    elasticsearch8: elasticsearch>=7,<8
+    elasticsearch8: certifi
 
 setenv =
     postgres: DATABASE_ENGINE=django.db.backends.postgresql
diff --git a/wagtail/test/settings.py b/wagtail/test/settings.py
index b9a2ba2d02..de8d7dc40a 100644
--- a/wagtail/test/settings.py
+++ b/wagtail/test/settings.py
@@ -204,7 +204,10 @@ if os.environ.get("DATABASE_ENGINE") == "django.db.backends.postgresql":
     }
 
 if "ELASTICSEARCH_URL" in os.environ:
-    if os.environ.get("ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION") == "7":
+    if os.environ.get("ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION") == "8":
+        # for now, use the 7 backend for ES8
+        backend = "wagtail.search.backends.elasticsearch7"
+    elif os.environ.get("ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION") == "7":
         backend = "wagtail.search.backends.elasticsearch7"
     elif os.environ.get("ELASTICSEARCH_VERSION") == "6":
         backend = "wagtail.search.backends.elasticsearch6"