diff --git a/buildSrc/build.gradle b/buildSrc/build.gradle
index 5a341ebf..a772c5e0 100644
--- a/buildSrc/build.gradle
+++ b/buildSrc/build.gradle
@@ -38,10 +38,6 @@ configurations {
 	}
 }
 
-ext {
-	springBootVersion = '3.2.0-SNAPSHOT'
-}
-
 dependencies {
 	implementation localGroovy()
 	implementation 'commons-codec:commons-codec:1.15'
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index cf0b0ed9..91f25f9b 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@ org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx4g -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError -XX:+UseParallelGC -Df
 
 pulsarClientVersion=3.0.0
 pulsarClientReactiveVersion=0.3.0
+
+# only used by docs, tests, and samples (unpublished deps)
 springBootVersion=3.2.0-SNAPSHOT
+
 springFrameworkVersion=6.0.9
+
 # these are temp until autoconfig moves into boot
 springPulsarStarterVersion=0.2.1-SNAPSHOT
 springPulsarBinderVersion=0.2.1-SNAPSHOT
diff --git a/spring-pulsar-dependencies/spring-pulsar-dependencies.gradle b/spring-pulsar-dependencies/spring-pulsar-dependencies.gradle
index 1ee414f7..49029b43 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar-dependencies/spring-pulsar-dependencies.gradle
+++ b/spring-pulsar-dependencies/spring-pulsar-dependencies.gradle
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ dependencies {
 		api "org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-client-all:$pulsarClientVersion"
 		api "org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-client-reactive-adapter:$pulsarClientReactiveVersion"
 		api "org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-client-reactive-producer-cache-caffeine-shaded:$pulsarClientReactiveVersion"
-		// spring-pulsar tests (OutputCaptureExtension)
-		api "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-test:$springBootVersion"
 		api "org.springframework.retry:spring-retry:2.0.1"
 	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-pulsar/spring-pulsar.gradle b/spring-pulsar/spring-pulsar.gradle
index 83d6554b..00e07352 100644
--- a/spring-pulsar/spring-pulsar.gradle
+++ b/spring-pulsar/spring-pulsar.gradle
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ dependencies {
 	testImplementation 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter'
 	testImplementation 'org.mockito:mockito-junit-jupiter'
 	testImplementation 'org.springframework:spring-test'
+
 	// OutputCaptureExtension used by PulsarFunctionAdministrationTests
-	testImplementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-test'
+	testImplementation "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-test:$springBootVersion"
 }