diff --git a/docs/platforms/javascript/guides/nestjs/install/esm.mdx b/docs/platforms/javascript/guides/nestjs/install/esm.mdx
index 9ba9ba454e9a06..7a8297bd044044 100644
--- a/docs/platforms/javascript/guides/nestjs/install/esm.mdx
+++ b/docs/platforms/javascript/guides/nestjs/install/esm.mdx
@@ -28,17 +28,17 @@ Sentry.init({
 });
 ```
 
-**Step 2:** Adjust your application's start command to use the [--import](https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#--importmodule) parameter:
+**Step 2:** Load `instrument.mjs` with the [--import](https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#--importmodule) parameter when your application starts. Set it through `NODE_OPTIONS`, which applies to the Node.js process that runs your app:
 
 ```bash
 # Note: This is only available for Node v18.19.0 onwards.
-"start": "--import ./instrument.mjs nest start"
+NODE_OPTIONS="--import ./instrument.mjs" nest start
 ```
 
-If you can't pass the `--import` flag to the Node.js binary, you can alternatively use the `NODE_OPTIONS` environment variable as follows:
+If you run your build output directly, pass the flag to `node` instead:
 
 ```bash
-NODE_OPTIONS="--import ./instrument.mjs" npm run start
+node --import ./instrument.mjs dist/main.js
 ```
 
 <Alert>We do not support ESM in Node versions before 18.19.0.</Alert>
diff --git a/platform-includes/getting-started-verify/javascript.nestjs.mdx b/platform-includes/getting-started-verify/javascript.nestjs.mdx
index a8e42429fd124f..0bfc2204712701 100644
--- a/platform-includes/getting-started-verify/javascript.nestjs.mdx
+++ b/platform-includes/getting-started-verify/javascript.nestjs.mdx
@@ -27,25 +27,29 @@ First, let's verify that Sentry captures errors and creates issues in your Sentr
 <SplitSection>
 <SplitSectionText>
 
-To test your tracing configuration, update the previous code snippet by starting a performance trace to measure the time it takes for the execution of your code.
+To test your tracing configuration, update the previous code snippet to start a span around the error. The span is recorded as part of the request's trace.
 
 </SplitSectionText>
 <SplitSectionCode>
 
-```javascript
-@Get("/debug-sentry")
+```javascript {filename:app.controller.ts}
+import { Controller, Get } from "@nestjs/common";
+import * as Sentry from "@sentry/nestjs";
+
+@Controller()
+export class AppController {
+  @Get("/debug-sentry")
   getError() {
-    Sentry.startSpan(
-	  {
-	    op: "test",
-	    name: "My First Test Transaction",
-	  },
-	  () => {
-	    setTimeout(() => {
-	      throw new Error("My first Sentry error!");
-	    }, 99);
-	  },
-	);
+    return Sentry.startSpan(
+      {
+        op: "test",
+        name: "My First Test Span",
+      },
+      () => {
+        throw new Error("My first Sentry error!");
+      }
+    );
+  }
 }
 ```