diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/ExperimentalApi.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/ExperimentalApi.java
index f80c03139c7..6a588d16bb6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/ExperimentalApi.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/ExperimentalApi.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
  * </ol>
  */
 @Internal
-@Retention(RetentionPolicy.SOURCE)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.CLASS)
 @Target({
     ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE,
     ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR,
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/Internal.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/Internal.java
index f2b453d0646..6f55c84859c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/Internal.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/Internal.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  * the public APIs do.
  */
 @Internal
-@Retention(RetentionPolicy.SOURCE)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.CLASS)
 @Target({
     ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE,
     ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR,