diff --git a/.changeset/remove-backend-defaults-from-plugins.md b/.changeset/remove-backend-defaults-from-plugins.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d322b2554
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/remove-backend-defaults-from-plugins.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-devtools-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-mcp-actions-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-search-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-user-settings-backend': patch
+---
+
+Moved `@backstage/backend-defaults` from `dependencies` to `devDependencies`.
diff --git a/plugins/devtools-backend/package.json b/plugins/devtools-backend/package.json
index 0d95cb7d62..a0c3335e6d 100644
--- a/plugins/devtools-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/devtools-backend/package.json
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/cli-common": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/config": "workspace:^",
diff --git a/plugins/mcp-actions-backend/package.json b/plugins/mcp-actions-backend/package.json
index b77b565836..2363c27c98 100644
--- a/plugins/mcp-actions-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/mcp-actions-backend/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/catalog-client": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/errors": "workspace:^",
@@ -47,6 +46,7 @@
     "zod": "^3.25.76"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-test-utils": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^",
     "@types/express": "^4.17.6"
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/package.json b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/package.json
index df7a07709b..077903c2e0 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/package.json
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-openapi-utils": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/catalog-model": "workspace:^",
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend/package.json b/plugins/search-backend/package.json
index 40bccb2046..3763ae7cff 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/search-backend/package.json
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-openapi-utils": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/config": "workspace:^",
@@ -74,6 +73,7 @@
     "zod": "^3.25.76"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-test-utils": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/repo-tools": "workspace:^",
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json b/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json
index 0be03ca967..c2cb655a0b 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/catalog-client": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/catalog-model": "workspace:^",
diff --git a/plugins/user-settings-backend/package.json b/plugins/user-settings-backend/package.json
index e1f91a0abe..912ed58577 100644
--- a/plugins/user-settings-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/user-settings-backend/package.json
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/errors": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/plugin-auth-node": "workspace:^",