diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha/index.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha/index.ts
index 3302b978b6..14bb24ecfe 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha/index.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ export { actionsRegistryServiceRef, actionsServiceRef } from './refs';
 
 import { createServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
+/**
+ * EXPERIMENTAL: System metadata service.
+ * @alpha
+ */
 export const systemMetadataServiceRef = createServiceRef<
   import('./services/definitions/SystemMetadataService').SystemMetadataService
 >({
@@ -35,4 +39,5 @@ export const systemMetadataServiceRef = createServiceRef<
 export type {
   BackstageInstance,
   SystemMetadataService,
+  Target,
 } from './services/definitions/SystemMetadataService';
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts
index 0f0fe2156d..58ab02b000 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-/** @internal */
-type Target = string | { internal: string; external: string };
+/** @alpha */
+export type Target = string | { internal: string; external: string };
 
 /**
  * @alpha