diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 222f1bd2..886a3426 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -44,10 +44,17 @@ Applications can be used.
 
 ``` elixir
 {:opentelemetry_api, github: "open-telemetry/opentelemetry-erlang", sparse:
-"apps/opentelemetry_api"},
-{:opentelemetry, github: "open-telemetry/opentelemetry-erlang", sparse: "apps/opentelemetry"},
+"apps/opentelemetry_api", override: true},
+{:opentelemetry, github: "open-telemetry/opentelemetry-erlang", sparse: "apps/opentelemetry", override: true},
 ```
 
+The `override: true` is required because the SDK Application, `opentelemetry`, has
+the API in its `deps` list of its `rebar.config` as a hex dependency and this will
+clash when `mix` tries to resolve the dependencies and fail without the
+override. `override: true` is also used on the SDK because the
+`opentelemetry_exporter` application depends on it and the API as hex deps so if
+it is included the override is necessary.
+
 ### Including in Release
 
 In an Erlang project add `opentelemetry` as the first element of the release's applications:
diff --git a/apps/opentelemetry/rebar.config b/apps/opentelemetry/rebar.config
index 2656fd55..13250b24 100644
--- a/apps/opentelemetry/rebar.config
+++ b/apps/opentelemetry/rebar.config
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 {erl_opts, [debug_info]}.
-{deps, []}.
+{deps, [opentelemetry_api]}.
diff --git a/apps/opentelemetry_exporter/rebar.config b/apps/opentelemetry_exporter/rebar.config
index 5f23086a..b003e227 100644
--- a/apps/opentelemetry_exporter/rebar.config
+++ b/apps/opentelemetry_exporter/rebar.config
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 {erl_opts, [debug_info]}.
-{deps, [grpcbox]}.
+{deps, [grpcbox,
+        opentelemetry,
+        opentelemetry_api]}.
 
 {grpc, [{protos, ["opentelemetry-proto/opentelemetry/proto/collector/trace/v1"]},
         {gpb_opts, [{module_name_prefix, "opentelemetry_exporter_"},
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 5da7c42e..5d43122c 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@ defmodule OtelElixirTests.MixProject do
 
   def deps do
     [{:opentelemetry, path: "apps/opentelemetry", only: :test},
-     {:opentelemetry_api, path: "apps/opentelemetry_api", only: :test}]
+     {:opentelemetry_api, path: "apps/opentelemetry_api", only: :test, override: true}]
   end
 end