diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/__snapshots__/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts.snap b/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/__snapshots__/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts.snap
deleted file mode 100644
index b3cd91fd05a34..0000000000000
--- a/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/__snapshots__/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts.snap
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,270 +0,0 @@
-// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
-
-exports[`getConnections if neither service name or environment is given includes all connections 1`] = `
-Array [
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "java",
-      "service.environment": "testing",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-java",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "go",
-      "service.environment": "testing",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-go",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "172.18.0.6:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "java",
-      "service.environment": "testing",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-java",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": null,
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": null,
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "172.18.0.6:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": null,
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "172.18.0.6:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "postgresql",
-      "span.subtype": "postgresql",
-      "span.type": "db",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "opbeans-python:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http_rb",
-      "span.type": "ext",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "opbeans-node:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "172.18.0.7:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "opbeans-ruby:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "postgresql",
-      "span.subtype": "postgresql",
-      "span.type": "db",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "python",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-python",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "opbeans-node:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http_rb",
-      "span.type": "ext",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "postgresql",
-      "span.subtype": "postgresql",
-      "span.type": "db",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "93.184.216.34:80",
-      "span.subtype": "http",
-      "span.type": "external",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "opbeans-ruby:3000",
-      "span.subtype": "http_rb",
-      "span.type": "ext",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "ruby",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-ruby",
-    },
-  },
-  Object {
-    "destination": Object {
-      "span.destination.service.resource": "redis",
-      "span.subtype": "redis",
-      "span.type": "cache",
-    },
-    "source": Object {
-      "agent.name": "nodejs",
-      "service.environment": "production",
-      "service.name": "opbeans-node",
-    },
-  },
-]
-`;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts
index 1661aa6e89789..48ba41c650dcf 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,20 @@ import serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse from './mock_responses/get_service_m
 import serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponseEnvNotDefined from './mock_responses/get_service_map_from_trace_ids_script_response_env_not_defined.json';
 import { PromiseReturnType } from '../../../typings/common';
 import { fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds } from './fetch_service_paths_from_trace_ids';
+import { Connection } from '../../../common/service_map';
+
+function getConnectionsPairs(connections: Connection[]) {
+  return connections
+    .map((conn) => {
+      const source = `${conn.source['service.name']}:${conn.source['service.environment']}`;
+      const destination = `${conn.destination['service.name']}:${conn.destination['service.environment']}`;
+      if (conn.destination['service.name']) {
+        return `${source} -> ${destination}`;
+      }
+    })
+    .filter((_) => _)
+    .sort();
+}
 
 describe('getConnections', () => {
   describe('if neither service name or environment is given', () => {
@@ -17,97 +31,146 @@ describe('getConnections', () => {
         typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
       >;
 
-      const connections = getConnections(
-        response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths
-      );
-
-      expect(connections).toMatchSnapshot();
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: undefined,
+        environment: undefined,
+      });
+      const connectionsPairs = getConnectionsPairs(connections);
+      expect(connectionsPairs).toEqual([
+        'opbeans-go:testing -> opbeans-java:testing',
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-python:null -> opbeans-node:null',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+      ]);
     });
   });
 
   describe('if service name and environment are given', () => {
-    it('excludes connections with different service name and environment', () => {
+    it('shows all connections for opbeans-node and production', () => {
       const response = serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse as PromiseReturnType<
         typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
       >;
-      const serviceName = 'opbeans-node';
-      const environment = 'production';
 
-      const connections = getConnections(
-        response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
-        serviceName,
-        environment
-      );
-      expect(
-        connections.every(
-          (conn) => conn.source['service.environment'] === environment
-        )
-      ).toBeTruthy();
-      const serviceNames = new Set();
-      connections.forEach((conn) =>
-        serviceNames.add(conn.source['service.name'])
-      );
-      ['opbeans-python', 'opbeans-node', 'opbeans-ruby'].forEach((name) =>
-        expect(serviceNames.has(name)).toBeTruthy()
-      );
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: 'opbeans-node',
+        environment: 'production',
+      });
+
+      const connectionsPairs = getConnectionsPairs(connections);
+
+      expect(connectionsPairs).toEqual([
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it('shows all connections for opbeans-go and testing', () => {
+      const response = serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse as PromiseReturnType<
+        typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
+      >;
+
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: 'opbeans-go',
+        environment: 'testing',
+      });
+
+      const connectionsPairs = getConnectionsPairs(connections);
+
+      expect(connectionsPairs).toEqual([
+        'opbeans-go:testing -> opbeans-java:testing',
+      ]);
     });
   });
 
   describe('if service name is given', () => {
-    it('excludes connections with different service name', () => {
+    it('shows all connections for opbeans-node', () => {
       const response = serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse as PromiseReturnType<
         typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
       >;
-      const serviceName = 'opbeans-node';
 
-      const connections = getConnections(
-        response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
-        serviceName
-      );
-
-      const serviceNames = new Set();
-      connections.forEach((conn) =>
-        serviceNames.add(conn.source['service.name'])
-      );
-      ['opbeans-python', 'opbeans-node', 'opbeans-ruby'].forEach((name) =>
-        expect(serviceNames.has(name)).toBeTruthy()
-      );
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: 'opbeans-node',
+        environment: undefined,
+      });
+
+      const connectionsPairs = getConnectionsPairs(connections);
+
+      expect(connectionsPairs).toEqual([
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-python:null -> opbeans-node:null',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+      ]);
     });
   });
 
   describe('if environment is given', () => {
-    it('excludes connections with different environment', () => {
+    it('shows all connections for testing environment', () => {
       const response = serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse as PromiseReturnType<
         typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
       >;
-      const environment = 'testing';
 
-      const connections = getConnections(
-        response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
-        undefined,
-        environment
-      );
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: undefined,
+        environment: 'testing',
+      });
 
-      expect(
-        connections.every(
-          (conn) => conn.source['service.environment'] === environment
-        )
-      ).toBeTruthy();
+      const connectionsPairs = getConnectionsPairs(connections);
+
+      expect(connectionsPairs).toEqual([
+        'opbeans-go:testing -> opbeans-java:testing',
+      ]);
+    });
+    it('shows all connections for production environment', () => {
+      const response = serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse as PromiseReturnType<
+        typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
+      >;
+
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: undefined,
+        environment: 'production',
+      });
+
+      const connectionsPairs = getConnectionsPairs(connections);
+
+      expect(connectionsPairs).toEqual([
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+        'opbeans-node:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-python:production -> opbeans-ruby:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-node:production',
+        'opbeans-ruby:production -> opbeans-python:production',
+      ]);
     });
   });
 
   describe('if environment is "not defined"', () => {
-    it('excludes connections with source environment set', () => {
+    it('shows all connections where environment is not set', () => {
       const response = serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponseEnvNotDefined as PromiseReturnType<
         typeof fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds
       >;
-      const environment = 'ENVIRONMENT_NOT_DEFINED';
-
-      const connections = getConnections(
-        response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
-        undefined,
-        environment
-      );
+      const connections = getConnections({
+        paths: response.aggregations?.service_map.value.paths,
+        serviceName: undefined,
+        environment: 'ENVIRONMENT_NOT_DEFINED',
+      });
 
       const environments = new Set();
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.ts b/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.ts
index 7108b4c93a8d5..595c12bb424bd 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/apm/server/lib/service_map/get_service_map_from_trace_ids.ts
@@ -13,11 +13,15 @@ import { Connection, ConnectionNode } from '../../../common/service_map';
 import { Setup } from '../helpers/setup_request';
 import { fetchServicePathsFromTraceIds } from './fetch_service_paths_from_trace_ids';
 
-export function getConnections(
-  paths?: ConnectionNode[][],
-  serviceName?: string,
-  environment?: string
-) {
+export function getConnections({
+  paths,
+  serviceName,
+  environment,
+}: {
+  paths: ConnectionNode[][] | undefined;
+  serviceName: string | undefined;
+  environment: string | undefined;
+}) {
   if (!paths) {
     return [];
   }
@@ -82,11 +86,11 @@ export async function getServiceMapFromTraceIds({
     serviceMapFromTraceIdsScriptResponse.aggregations?.service_map.value;
 
   return {
-    connections: getConnections(
-      serviceMapScriptedAggValue?.paths,
+    connections: getConnections({
+      paths: serviceMapScriptedAggValue?.paths,
       serviceName,
-      environment
-    ),
+      environment,
+    }),
     discoveredServices: serviceMapScriptedAggValue?.discoveredServices ?? [],
   };
 }