diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 8d18d0ea7b849..b472f03bcb4ee 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1039,6 +1039,8 @@ project(':core') {
     implementation project(':transaction-coordinator')
     implementation project(':metadata')
     implementation project(':storage:storage-api')
+    // tools-api is automatically included in releaseTarGz via core's runtimeClasspath.
+    // If removed from here, remember to explicitly add it back in the releaseTarGz task.
     implementation project(':tools:tools-api')
     implementation project(':raft')
     implementation project(':storage')
@@ -1261,8 +1263,6 @@ project(':core') {
     from(project(':streams:test-utils').configurations.runtimeClasspath) { into("libs/") }
     from(project(':streams:examples').jar) { into("libs/") }
     from(project(':streams:examples').configurations.runtimeClasspath) { into("libs/") }
-    from(project(':tools:tools-api').jar) { into("libs/") }
-    from(project(':tools:tools-api').configurations.runtimeClasspath) { into("libs/") }
     duplicatesStrategy 'exclude'
   }