diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 25a2c2656e4e6..407e3316164b8 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1072,7 +1072,6 @@ project(':metadata') {
 
   dependencies {
     implementation project(':server-common')
-    implementation project(':clients')
     implementation libs.jacksonDatabind
     implementation libs.jacksonJDK8Datatypes
     implementation libs.metrics
@@ -1270,13 +1269,11 @@ project(':raft') {
 
   dependencies {
     implementation project(':server-common')
-    implementation project(':clients')
     implementation project(':metadata')
     implementation libs.slf4jApi
     implementation libs.jacksonDatabind
 
     testImplementation project(':server-common')
-    testImplementation project(':clients')
     testImplementation project(':clients').sourceSets.test.output
     testImplementation libs.junitJupiter
     testImplementation libs.mockitoCore
@@ -1353,7 +1350,7 @@ project(':server-common') {
   archivesBaseName = "kafka-server-common"
 
   dependencies {
-    implementation project(':clients')
+    api project(':clients')
     implementation libs.slf4jApi
 
     testImplementation project(':clients')
@@ -1645,7 +1642,6 @@ project(':shell') {
     implementation libs.jline
     implementation libs.slf4jApi
     implementation project(':server-common')
-    implementation project(':clients')
     implementation project(':core')
     implementation project(':log4j-appender')
     implementation project(':metadata')