diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e3b338c414..55fe529688 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 [![Commits](https://img.shields.io/github/commits-since/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-demo/latest?color=ff69b4&include_prereleases)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-demo/graphs/commit-activity)
 [![Downloads](https://img.shields.io/docker/pulls/otel/demo)](https://hub.docker.com/r/otel/demo)
 [![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache_2.0-blue.svg?color=red)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-demo/blob/main/LICENSE)
+[![Integration Tests](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-demo/actions/workflows/run-integration-tests.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-demo/actions/workflows/run-integration-tests.yml)
 
 ## Welcome to the OpenTelemetry Astronomy Shop Demo
 
@@ -33,6 +34,10 @@ guidance](./CONTRIBUTING.md).
 If you'd like to extend this demo or maintain a fork of it, read our
 [fork guidance](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/demo/forking/).
 
+## Splunk customizations 
+
+A number of customizations have been made to use the demo application with Splunk Observability Cloud, which can be found in the [/splunk](./splunk) folder.  See [this document](./splunk/README.md) for details. 
+
 ## Quick start
 
 You can be up and running with the demo in a few minutes. Check out the docs for
diff --git a/splunk/README.md b/splunk/README.md
index b5efc694d2..ba23ce0b7f 100644
--- a/splunk/README.md
+++ b/splunk/README.md
@@ -6,14 +6,13 @@ This repository contains a fork of the OpenTelemetry Astronomy Shop, a microserv
 distributed system intended to illustrate the implementation of OpenTelemetry in
 a near real-world environment. It includes customizations for use with Splunk Observability Cloud.
 
-
 ## Update Docker and Kubernetes Scripts
 
 After synchronizing changes with the upstream repository, the following command can be used to update the Splunk versions of the docker-compose.yml and kubernetes/opentelemetry-demo.yaml files, which are optimized for use with Splunk Observability Cloud: 
 
-````
+```bash
 ./update-demos.sh
-````
+```
 
 ## Quick start
 
diff --git a/splunk/update-demos.sh b/splunk/update-demos.sh
index 26edff237e..0d0ae3bd0d 100755
--- a/splunk/update-demos.sh
+++ b/splunk/update-demos.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,26 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # Set default paths if environment variables are not set
 SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd -- "$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" &> /dev/null && pwd)
 
+function update_root_readme {
+    ROOT_README_PATH=${ROOT_README_PATH:-"$SCRIPT_DIR/../README.md"}
+
+    # Download the latest README file from upstream
+    curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-demo/main/README.md \
+        > "$ROOT_README_PATH"
+
+    # add a section to the root README file with a pointer to Splunk customizations
+    SEARCH_VAL="## Quick start"
+    REPLACE_VAL='## Splunk customizations \
+\
+A number of customizations have been made to use the demo application with Splunk Observability Cloud, which can be found in the \[\/splunk\](\.\/splunk) folder.  See \[this document\](\.\/splunk\/README.md) for details. \
+\
+## Quick start'
+
+    sed -i '' "s/${SEARCH_VAL}/${REPLACE_VAL}/g" "$ROOT_README_PATH"
+
+    echo "Completed updating the root README.md file for the OpenTelemetry demo app!"
+}
+
 function update_otel_demo_docker {
     DOCKER_COMPOSE_PATH=${DOCKER_COMPOSE_PATH:-"$SCRIPT_DIR/../docker-compose.yml"}
     SPLUNK_DOCKER_COMPOSE_PATH=${SPLUNK_DOCKER_COMPOSE_PATH:-"$SCRIPT_DIR/../splunk/docker-compose.yml"}
@@ -104,5 +124,6 @@ function update_otel_demo_k8s {
 }
 
 # ---- OpenTelemetry Demo Update ----
+update_root_readme
 update_otel_demo_docker
 update_otel_demo_k8s