diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 425730214f8..0b158cffbda 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@
     <shrinkwrap.version>3.0.1</shrinkwrap.version>
     <slf4j.version>1.7.25</slf4j.version>
     <spotbugs-annotations.version>3.1.1</spotbugs-annotations.version>
+    <javax-annotations-api.version>1.3.2</javax-annotations-api.version>
     <testcontainers.version>1.8.3</testcontainers.version>
     <twitter-server.version>1.29.0</twitter-server.version>
     <vertx.version>3.4.1</vertx.version>
@@ -198,6 +199,11 @@
         <artifactId>spotbugs-annotations</artifactId>
         <version>${spotbugs-annotations.version}</version>
       </dependency>
+      <dependency>
+        <groupId>javax.annotation</groupId>
+        <artifactId>javax.annotation-api</artifactId>
+        <version>${javax-annotations-api.version}</version>
+      </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>com.google.code.findbugs</groupId>
         <artifactId>jsr305</artifactId>
diff --git a/stream/common/pom.xml b/stream/common/pom.xml
index 27d52b89d75..40c8b07dde8 100644
--- a/stream/common/pom.xml
+++ b/stream/common/pom.xml
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@
       <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
       <artifactId>grpc-all</artifactId>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.annotation</groupId>
+      <artifactId>javax.annotation-api</artifactId>
+      <!-- this should not be bundled in binary distributions -->
+      <optional>true</optional>
+    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.apache.bookkeeper.tests</groupId>
       <artifactId>stream-storage-tests-common</artifactId>
diff --git a/stream/distributedlog/core/pom.xml b/stream/distributedlog/core/pom.xml
index 0e7d8603664..5617f2c4c1e 100644
--- a/stream/distributedlog/core/pom.xml
+++ b/stream/distributedlog/core/pom.xml
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@
       <artifactId>bookkeeper-server</artifactId>
       <version>${project.parent.version}</version>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.annotation</groupId>
+      <artifactId>javax.annotation-api</artifactId>
+      <!-- this should not be bundled in binary distributions -->
+      <optional>true</optional>
+    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.jmock</groupId>
       <artifactId>jmock</artifactId>
diff --git a/stream/proto/pom.xml b/stream/proto/pom.xml
index 8a6ad978741..7c3e86fdfde 100644
--- a/stream/proto/pom.xml
+++ b/stream/proto/pom.xml
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@
       <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
       <artifactId>protobuf-java</artifactId>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.annotation</groupId>
+      <artifactId>javax.annotation-api</artifactId>
+      <!-- this should not be bundled in binary distributions -->
+      <optional>true</optional>
+    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.apache.bookkeeper.tests</groupId>
       <artifactId>stream-storage-tests-common</artifactId>
diff --git a/stream/tests-common/pom.xml b/stream/tests-common/pom.xml
index 971aecc792f..6f760251c55 100644
--- a/stream/tests-common/pom.xml
+++ b/stream/tests-common/pom.xml
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
       <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
       <artifactId>protobuf-java</artifactId>
     </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>javax.annotation</groupId>
+      <artifactId>javax.annotation-api</artifactId>
+      <!-- this should not be bundled in binary distributions -->
+      <optional>true</optional>
+    </dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
   <build>