diff --git a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackend.scala b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackend.scala
index 50c672781b96c..0784b82a85de2 100644
--- a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackend.scala
+++ b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackend.scala
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ import org.apache.spark.util.ArrayImplicits._
 private[spark] class KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackend(
     scheduler: TaskSchedulerImpl,
     sc: SparkContext,
-    kubernetesClient: KubernetesClient,
+    private[k8s] val kubernetesClient: KubernetesClient,
     executorService: ScheduledExecutorService,
     snapshotsStore: ExecutorPodsSnapshotsStore,
     podAllocator: AbstractPodsAllocator,
diff --git a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackendSuite.scala b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackendSuite.scala
index e24ffe9ef52b6..cf172eb096d47 100644
--- a/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackendSuite.scala
+++ b/resource-managers/kubernetes/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/k8s/KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackendSuite.scala
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@ class KubernetesClusterSchedulerBackendSuite extends SparkFunSuite with BeforeAn
     verify(configMapResource).create()
   }
 
+  test("SPARK-56684: kubernetesClient is exposed within the k8s package") {
+    assert(schedulerBackendUnderTest.kubernetesClient eq kubernetesClient)
+  }
+
   test("Stop all components") {
     when(podsWithNamespace.withLabel(SPARK_APP_ID_LABEL, TEST_SPARK_APP_ID)).thenReturn(labeledPods)
     when(labeledPods.withLabel(SPARK_ROLE_LABEL, SPARK_POD_EXECUTOR_ROLE)).thenReturn(labeledPods)