diff --git a/.changeset/fluffy-carrots-wink.md b/.changeset/fluffy-carrots-wink.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a6f09d9558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fluffy-carrots-wink.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-plugin-api': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING ALPHA**: Removed the deprecated `featureDiscoveryServiceRef` and `FeatureDiscoveryService`.
diff --git a/.changeset/hot-planes-hear.md b/.changeset/hot-planes-hear.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ef29772ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/hot-planes-hear.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-defaults': patch
+---
+
+Internal refactor to stop importing the removed `FeatureDiscoveryService` from `@backstage/backend-plugin-api`.
diff --git a/.changeset/many-goats-flash.md b/.changeset/many-goats-flash.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f3fec7e79a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/many-goats-flash.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING ALPHA**: Removed the deprecated `featureDiscoveryServiceFactory`. Existing usage can be replaced with `discoveryFeatureLoader` from `@backstage/backend-defaults`.
diff --git a/.changeset/young-plants-report.md b/.changeset/young-plants-report.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b35fb4b472
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/young-plants-report.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-dynamic-feature-service': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING**: removed the deprecated `dynamicPluginsFeatureDiscoveryServiceFactory`.
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/package.json b/packages/backend-app-api/package.json
index 071a4a4ba4..5e159be704 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/package.json
@@ -20,16 +20,12 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "exports": {
     ".": "./src/index.ts",
-    "./alpha": "./src/alpha.ts",
     "./package.json": "./package.json"
   },
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
   "typesVersions": {
     "*": {
-      "alpha": [
-        "src/alpha.ts"
-      ],
       "package.json": [
         "package.json"
       ]
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/report-alpha.api.md b/packages/backend-app-api/report-alpha.api.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 163cc325a1..0000000000
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/report-alpha.api.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-## API Report File for "@backstage/backend-app-api"
-
-> Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
-
-```ts
-import { FeatureDiscoveryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
-import { ServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-
-// @alpha @deprecated (undocumented)
-export const featureDiscoveryServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
-  FeatureDiscoveryService,
-  'root',
-  'singleton'
->;
-
-// (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
-```
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index a334214738..0000000000
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-export { featureDiscoveryServiceFactory } from './alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory';
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 6550a6b1d0..0000000000
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,328 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-import {
-  startTestBackend,
-  mockServices,
-  createMockDirectory,
-} from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
-import { featureDiscoveryServiceFactory } from './featureDiscoveryServiceFactory';
-
-const mockDir = createMockDirectory();
-process.argv[1] = mockDir.path;
-
-const pluginApiPath = require.resolve('@backstage/backend-plugin-api');
-
-describe('featureDiscoveryServiceFactory', () => {
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    mockDir.setContent({
-      'package.json': JSON.stringify({
-        name: 'example-app',
-        dependencies: {
-          'detected-plugin': '0.0.0',
-          'detected-module': '0.0.0',
-          'detected-plugin-with-alpha': '0.0.0',
-          'detected-library': '0.0.0',
-        },
-      }),
-      'node_modules/detected-plugin': {
-        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
-          name: 'detected-plugin',
-          main: 'index.js',
-          backstage: {
-            role: 'backend-plugin',
-          },
-        }),
-        'index.js': `
-        const { createBackendPlugin, coreServices } = require('${pluginApiPath}');
-        exports.default = createBackendPlugin({
-            pluginId: 'detected',
-            register(env) {
-              env.registerInit({
-                deps: { logger: coreServices.rootLogger },
-                async init({ logger }) {
-                  logger.warn('detected-plugin');
-                },
-              });
-            },
-        });
-        `,
-      },
-      'node_modules/detected-module': {
-        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
-          name: 'detected-module',
-          main: 'index.js',
-          backstage: {
-            role: 'backend-plugin-module',
-          },
-        }),
-        'index.js': `
-        const { createBackendModule, coreServices } = require('${pluginApiPath}');
-        exports.default = createBackendModule({
-            pluginId: 'detected',
-            moduleId: 'derp',
-            register(env) {
-              env.registerInit({
-                deps: { logger: coreServices.rootLogger },
-                async init({ logger }) {
-                  logger.warn('detected-module');
-                },
-              });
-            },
-        });
-        `,
-      },
-      'node_modules/detected-plugin-with-alpha': {
-        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
-          name: 'detected-plugin-with-alpha',
-          main: 'index.js',
-          exports: {
-            '.': {
-              default: 'index.js',
-            },
-            './alpha': {
-              default: 'alpha.js',
-            },
-            './package.json': './package.json',
-          },
-          backstage: {
-            role: 'backend-plugin',
-          },
-        }),
-        'index.js': `exports.default = undefined;`,
-        'alpha.js': `
-        const { createBackendPlugin, coreServices } = require('${pluginApiPath}');
-        exports.default = createBackendPlugin({
-            pluginId: 'detected-alpha',
-            register(env) {
-              env.registerInit({
-                deps: { logger: coreServices.rootLogger },
-                async init({ logger }) {
-                  logger.warn('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-                },
-              });
-            },
-        });
-        `,
-      },
-      'node_modules/detected-library': {
-        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
-          name: 'detected-library',
-          main: 'index.js',
-          backstage: {
-            role: 'node-library',
-          },
-        }),
-        'index.js': `
-        const { createServiceFactory, createServiceRef, coreServices } = require('${pluginApiPath}');
-        exports.default = createServiceFactory({
-          service: createServiceRef({ id: 'test', scope: 'root' }),
-          deps: { logger: coreServices.rootLogger },
-          factory({ logger }) {
-            logger.warn('detected-library');
-            return {};
-          },
-        });
-        `,
-      },
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('should detect plugin and module packages when "all" is specified', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: { backend: { packages: 'all' } },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-library');
-  });
-
-  it('detects only the packages that are listed as included', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: {
-            backend: {
-              packages: {
-                include: [
-                  'detected-plugin',
-                  'detected-plugin-with-alpha',
-                  'detected-library',
-                ],
-              },
-            },
-          },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-library');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
-  });
-
-  it('does not detect packages when included is an empty list', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: {
-            backend: {
-              packages: {
-                include: [],
-              },
-            },
-          },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-library');
-  });
-
-  it('does not detect an excluded packages', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: {
-            backend: {
-              packages: {
-                exclude: ['detected-plugin', 'detected-module'],
-              },
-            },
-          },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-library');
-  });
-
-  it('does not excluded packages when it is an empty list', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: {
-            backend: {
-              packages: {
-                exclude: [],
-              },
-            },
-          },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-library');
-  });
-
-  it('does not detect packages that are included and excluded', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: {
-            backend: {
-              packages: {
-                include: [
-                  'detected-plugin',
-                  'detected-module',
-                  'detected-plugin-with-alpha',
-                ],
-                exclude: ['detected-module'],
-              },
-            },
-          },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-library');
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-module');
-    expect(mock.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('detected-plugin-with-alpha');
-  });
-
-  it('does not detect any packages when "packages" is empty', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: { backend: { packages: {} } },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it('does not detect any packages when "packages" is not present', async () => {
-    const mock = mockServices.rootLogger.mock({ child: () => mock });
-
-    await startTestBackend({
-      features: [
-        mock.factory,
-        featureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
-        mockServices.rootConfig.factory({
-          data: { backend: {} },
-        }),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(mock.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 05de659083..0000000000
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/alpha/featureDiscoveryServiceFactory.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2023 The Backstage Authors
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-import {
-  coreServices,
-  createServiceFactory,
-} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import { featureDiscoveryServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
-// eslint-disable-next-line @backstage/no-relative-monorepo-imports
-import { PackageDiscoveryService } from '../../../backend-defaults/src/PackageDiscoveryService';
-
-/**
- * @alpha
- * @deprecated The `featureDiscoveryServiceFactory` is deprecated in favor of using {@link @backstage/backend-defaults#discoveryFeatureLoader} instead.
- */
-export const featureDiscoveryServiceFactory = createServiceFactory({
-  service: featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
-  deps: {
-    config: coreServices.rootConfig,
-    logger: coreServices.rootLogger,
-  },
-  factory({ config, logger }) {
-    return new PackageDiscoveryService(config, logger);
-  },
-});
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
index 6bec5439ec..02fad4f217 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import type { InternalServiceFactory } from '../../../backend-plugin-api/src/ser
 import { ForwardedError, ConflictError, assertError } from '@backstage/errors';
 import {
   instanceMetadataServiceRef,
-  featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
   BackendFeatureMeta,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 import { DependencyGraph } from '../lib/DependencyGraph';
@@ -252,20 +251,6 @@ export class BackendInitializer {
       this.#addFeature(await feature);
     }
 
-    const featureDiscovery = await this.#serviceRegistry.get(
-      // TODO: Let's leave this in place and remove it once the deprecated service is removed. We can do that post-1.0 since it's alpha
-      featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
-      'root',
-    );
-
-    if (featureDiscovery) {
-      const { features } = await featureDiscovery.getBackendFeatures();
-      for (const feature of features) {
-        this.#addFeature(unwrapFeature(feature));
-      }
-      this.#serviceRegistry.checkForCircularDeps();
-    }
-
     await this.#applyBackendFeatureLoaders(this.#registeredFeatureLoaders);
 
     this.#serviceRegistry.add(
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/PackageDiscoveryService.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/PackageDiscoveryService.ts
index d7d127f4fa..90e8d0f59d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/PackageDiscoveryService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/PackageDiscoveryService.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   RootConfigService,
   RootLoggerService,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import { FeatureDiscoveryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 import { BackstagePackageJson } from '@backstage/cli-node';
 
 const DETECTED_PACKAGE_ROLES = [
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ async function findClosestPackageDir(
 }
 
 /** @internal */
-export class PackageDiscoveryService implements FeatureDiscoveryService {
+export class PackageDiscoveryService {
   constructor(
     private readonly config: RootConfigService,
     private readonly logger: RootLoggerService,
diff --git a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/package.json b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/package.json
index ac03cceafa..2464b4cd14 100644
--- a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/package.json
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-app-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-common": "^0.25.0",
     "@backstage/backend-defaults": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
@@ -74,6 +73,7 @@
     "winston": "^3.2.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@backstage/backend-app-api": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/backend-test-utils": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/plugin-app-backend": "workspace:^",
diff --git a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/report.api.md b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/report.api.md
index e2ad34c84d..b0fa84edbd 100644
--- a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/report.api.md
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import { DiscoveryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { EventBroker } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import { EventsBackend } from '@backstage/plugin-events-backend';
 import { EventsService } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
-import { FeatureDiscoveryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 import { HttpPostIngressOptions } from '@backstage/plugin-events-node';
 import { IdentityApi } from '@backstage/plugin-auth-node';
 import { IndexBuilder } from '@backstage/plugin-search-backend-node';
@@ -150,13 +149,6 @@ export interface DynamicPluginsFactoryOptions {
 // @public @deprecated (undocumented)
 export const dynamicPluginsFeatureDiscoveryLoader: BackendFeature;
 
-// @public @deprecated (undocumented)
-export const dynamicPluginsFeatureDiscoveryServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
-  FeatureDiscoveryService,
-  'root',
-  'singleton'
->;
-
 // @public
 export const dynamicPluginsFeatureLoader: ((
   options?: DynamicPluginsFeatureLoaderOptions,
diff --git a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/index.ts b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/index.ts
index d24a41a7a3..391ea46249 100644
--- a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/index.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ export type {
 
 export {
   DynamicPluginManager,
-  dynamicPluginsFeatureDiscoveryServiceFactory,
   dynamicPluginsServiceFactory,
   dynamicPluginsServiceFactoryWithOptions,
   dynamicPluginsServiceRef,
diff --git a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/plugin-manager.ts b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/plugin-manager.ts
index 398e9fb14c..0162cbef2d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/plugin-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-dynamic-feature-service/src/manager/plugin-manager.ts
@@ -37,10 +37,6 @@ import {
 import { PackageRole, PackageRoles } from '@backstage/cli-node';
 import { findPaths } from '@backstage/cli-common';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
-import {
-  FeatureDiscoveryService,
-  featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
-} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 
 /**
  * @public
@@ -307,55 +303,27 @@ export const dynamicPluginsServiceFactory = Object.assign(
   dynamicPluginsServiceFactoryWithOptions(),
 );
 
-class DynamicPluginsEnabledFeatureDiscoveryService
-  implements FeatureDiscoveryService
-{
-  constructor(
-    private readonly dynamicPlugins: DynamicPluginProvider,
-    private readonly featureDiscoveryService?: FeatureDiscoveryService,
-  ) {}
+class DynamicPluginsEnabledFeatureDiscoveryService {
+  constructor(private readonly dynamicPlugins: DynamicPluginProvider) {}
 
   async getBackendFeatures(): Promise<{ features: Array<BackendFeature> }> {
-    const staticFeatures =
-      (await this.featureDiscoveryService?.getBackendFeatures())?.features ??
-      [];
-
     return {
-      features: [
-        ...this.dynamicPlugins
-          .backendPlugins()
-          .flatMap((plugin): BackendFeature[] => {
-            if (plugin.installer?.kind === 'new') {
-              const installed = plugin.installer.install();
-              if (Array.isArray(installed)) {
-                return installed;
-              }
-              return [installed];
+      features: this.dynamicPlugins
+        .backendPlugins()
+        .flatMap((plugin): BackendFeature[] => {
+          if (plugin.installer?.kind === 'new') {
+            const installed = plugin.installer.install();
+            if (Array.isArray(installed)) {
+              return installed;
             }
-            return [];
-          }),
-        ...staticFeatures,
-      ],
+            return [installed];
+          }
+          return [];
+        }),
     };
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * @public
- * @deprecated Use {@link dynamicPluginsFeatureLoader} instead, which gathers all services and features required for dynamic plugins.
- */
-export const dynamicPluginsFeatureDiscoveryServiceFactory =
-  createServiceFactory({
-    service: featureDiscoveryServiceRef,
-    deps: {
-      config: coreServices.rootConfig,
-      dynamicPlugins: dynamicPluginsServiceRef,
-    },
-    factory({ dynamicPlugins }) {
-      return new DynamicPluginsEnabledFeatureDiscoveryService(dynamicPlugins);
-    },
-  });
-
 /**
  * @public
  * @deprecated Use {@link dynamicPluginsFeatureLoader} instead, which gathers all services and features required for dynamic plugins.
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md
index 8509d1196d..d485e2132e 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 > Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
 
 ```ts
-import { BackendFeature } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { ServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
 // @alpha (undocumented)
@@ -18,21 +17,6 @@ export type BackendFeatureMeta =
       moduleId: string;
     };
 
-// @alpha (undocumented)
-export interface FeatureDiscoveryService {
-  // (undocumented)
-  getBackendFeatures(): Promise<{
-    features: Array<BackendFeature>;
-  }>;
-}
-
-// @alpha @deprecated
-export const featureDiscoveryServiceRef: ServiceRef<
-  FeatureDiscoveryService,
-  'root',
-  'singleton'
->;
-
 // @alpha (undocumented)
 export interface InstanceMetadataService {
   // (undocumented)
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts
index 1a39fe6c23..6e91e10671 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/alpha.ts
@@ -14,26 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import {
-  BackendFeature,
-  createServiceRef,
-} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-
-/** @alpha */
-export interface FeatureDiscoveryService {
-  getBackendFeatures(): Promise<{ features: Array<BackendFeature> }>;
-}
-
-/**
- * An optional service that can be used to dynamically load in additional BackendFeatures at runtime.
- * @alpha
- * @deprecated The `featureDiscoveryServiceRef` is deprecated in favor of using {@link @backstage/backend-defaults#discoveryFeatureLoader} instead.
- */
-export const featureDiscoveryServiceRef =
-  createServiceRef<FeatureDiscoveryService>({
-    id: 'core.featureDiscovery',
-    scope: 'root',
-  });
+import { createServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
 /**
  * EXPERIMENTAL: Instance metadata service.