diff --git a/vault/census.go b/vault/census.go
index fc1cf2b108..3481adacd2 100644
--- a/vault/census.go
+++ b/vault/census.go
@@ -5,12 +5,16 @@
 
 package vault
 
-import "time"
+import (
+	"context"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const utilizationBasePath = "utilization"
 
 // CensusAgent is a stub for OSS
 type CensusReporter interface{}
 
-func (c *Core) setupCensusManager() error                        { return nil }
 func (c *Core) BillingStart() time.Time                          { return time.Time{} }
 func (c *Core) AutomatedLicenseReportingEnabled() bool           { return false }
 func (c *Core) CensusAgent() CensusReporter                      { return nil }
@@ -19,3 +23,9 @@ func (c *Core) StartManualCensusSnapshots()                      {}
 func (c *Core) ManualLicenseReportingEnabled() bool              { return false }
 func (c *Core) ManualCensusSnapshotInterval() time.Duration      { return time.Duration(0) }
 func (c *Core) ManualCensusSnapshotRetentionTime() time.Duration { return time.Duration(0) }
+func (c *Core) StartCensusReports(ctx context.Context)           {}
+func (c *Core) SetRetentionMonths(months int) error              { return nil }
+func (c *Core) ReloadCensusManager(licenseChange bool) error     { return nil }
+func (c *Core) parseCensusManagerConfig(conf *CoreConfig) (CensusManagerConfig, error) {
+	return CensusManagerConfig{}, nil
+}
diff --git a/vault/census_manager.go b/vault/census_manager.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3a98f47b20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vault/census_manager.go
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+
+//go:build !enterprise
+
+package vault
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/sdk/logical"
+)
+
+// CensusManager provides stub behavior for CE, simplifying the logic between CE
+// and ENT. This will always be marked active: false.
+type CensusManager struct {
+	active bool
+	logger hclog.Logger
+}
+
+// CensusManagerConfig is empty on CE.
+type CensusManagerConfig struct{}
+
+// NewCensusManager sets up the stub CensusManager on CE with active: false.
+func NewCensusManager(logger hclog.Logger, conf CensusManagerConfig, storage logical.Storage) (*CensusManager, error) {
+	return &CensusManager{
+		active: false,
+		logger: logger,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// setupCensusManager is a stub on CE.
+func (c *Core) setupCensusManager(ctx context.Context) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// BillingStart is a stub on CE.
+func (cm *CensusManager) BillingStart() time.Time {
+	return time.Time{}
+}
diff --git a/vault/census_stubs_oss.go b/vault/census_stubs_oss.go
deleted file mode 100644
index f52717a5c9..0000000000
--- a/vault/census_stubs_oss.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
-
-//go:build !enterprise
-
-package vault
-
-import "context"
-
-//go:generate go run github.com/hashicorp/vault/tools/stubmaker
-
-func (c *Core) StartCensusReports(ctx context.Context)       {}
-func (c *Core) SetRetentionMonths(months int) error          { return nil }
-func (c *Core) ReloadCensusManager(licenseChange bool) error { return nil }
diff --git a/vault/core.go b/vault/core.go
index ab742cf2ec..21145f6a3b 100644
--- a/vault/core.go
+++ b/vault/core.go
@@ -727,6 +727,8 @@ type Core struct {
 	periodicLeaderRefreshInterval time.Duration
 
 	clusterAddrBridge *raft.ClusterAddrBridge
+
+	censusManager *CensusManager
 }
 
 func (c *Core) ActiveNodeClockSkewMillis() int64 {
@@ -1316,6 +1318,19 @@ func NewCore(conf *CoreConfig) (*Core, error) {
 		c.versionHistory = make(map[string]VaultVersion)
 	}
 
+	// Setup the Census Manager
+	cmConfig, err := c.parseCensusManagerConfig(conf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	cmLogger := conf.Logger.Named("reporting")
+	c.allLoggers = append(c.allLoggers, cmLogger)
+	c.censusManager, err = NewCensusManager(cmLogger, cmConfig, NewBarrierView(c.barrier, utilizationBasePath))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	// Events
 	eventsLogger := conf.Logger.Named("events")
 	c.allLoggers = append(c.allLoggers, eventsLogger)
@@ -2449,8 +2464,8 @@ func (s standardUnsealStrategy) unseal(ctx context.Context, logger log.Logger, c
 			return err
 		}
 
-		if err := c.setupCensusManager(); err != nil {
-			logger.Error("failed to instantiate the license reporting agent", "error", err)
+		if err := c.setupCensusManager(ctx); err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 
 		c.StartCensusReports(ctx)