diff --git a/junit-platform-commons/src/main/java/org/junit/platform/commons/meta/API.java b/junit-platform-commons/src/main/java/org/junit/platform/commons/meta/API.java
index 7bcb3a2e04d7..5b5149891332 100644
--- a/junit-platform-commons/src/main/java/org/junit/platform/commons/meta/API.java
+++ b/junit-platform-commons/src/main/java/org/junit/platform/commons/meta/API.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  * @since 1.0
  */
 @Target({ ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR })
-@Retention(RetentionPolicy.CLASS)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 @Documented
 @API(Internal)
 public @interface API {