diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/package.json b/packages/backend-defaults/package.json
index 27a3d0529a..bae8dbf04f 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   "exports": {
     ".": "./src/index.ts",
     "./auditor": "./src/entrypoints/auditor/index.ts",
-    "./alpha/systemMetadata": "./src/entrypoints/systemMetadata/index.ts",
+    "./alpha": "./src/entrypoints/alpha.ts",
     "./auth": "./src/entrypoints/auth/index.ts",
     "./cache": "./src/entrypoints/cache/index.ts",
     "./database": "./src/entrypoints/database/index.ts",
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@
       "auditor": [
         "src/entrypoints/auditor/index.ts"
       ],
-      "alpha/systemMetadata": [
-        "src/entrypoints/systemMetadata/index.ts"
+      "alpha": [
+        "src/entrypoints/alpha.ts"
       ],
       "auth": [
         "src/entrypoints/auth/index.ts"
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md b/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md
index 58277b5e1e..e20c6c0b95 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md
@@ -17,6 +17,29 @@ export const actionsRegistryServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
 // @public (undocumented)
 export const actionsServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
   ActionsService,
+import { BackstageInstance } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
+import { LoggerService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { RootConfigService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { ServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { SystemMetadataService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
+
+// Warning: (ae-missing-release-tag) "DefaultSystemMetadataService" is part of the package's API, but it is missing a release tag (@alpha, @beta, @public, or @internal)
+//
+// @public (undocumented)
+export class DefaultSystemMetadataService implements SystemMetadataService {
+  constructor(options: { logger: LoggerService; config: RootConfigService });
+  // (undocumented)
+  static create(pluginEnv: {
+    logger: LoggerService;
+    config: RootConfigService;
+  }): DefaultSystemMetadataService;
+  // (undocumented)
+  listInstances(): Promise<BackstageInstance[]>;
+}
+
+// @alpha
+export const systemMetadataServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
+  SystemMetadataService,
   'plugin',
   'singleton'
 >;
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/alpha.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/alpha.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a26522c228
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/alpha.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 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 * from './systemMetadata';
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/systemMetadata/lib/DefaultSystemMetadataService.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/systemMetadata/lib/DefaultSystemMetadataService.ts
index 77030f2e43..1de37c3b42 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/systemMetadata/lib/DefaultSystemMetadataService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/systemMetadata/lib/DefaultSystemMetadataService.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import {
   SystemMetadataService,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 
+/**
+ * @alpha
+ */
 export class DefaultSystemMetadataService implements SystemMetadataService {
   private readonly logger: LoggerService;
   private readonly config: RootConfigService;
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts
index 9d85412beb..0f0fe2156d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/src/services/definitions/SystemMetadataService.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,19 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+/** @internal */
 type Target = string | { internal: string; external: string };
 
+/**
+ * @alpha
+ */
 export interface BackstageInstance {
   url: Target;
 }
 
+/**
+ * @alpha
+ */
 export interface SystemMetadataService {
   listInstances(): Promise<BackstageInstance[]>;
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend-split/src/index.ts b/packages/backend-split/src/index.ts
index ca5fcd93e8..52b7559867 100644
--- a/packages/backend-split/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-split/src/index.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 import { createBackend } from '@backstage/backend-defaults';
-import { systemMetadataServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/alpha/systemMetadata';
+import { systemMetadataServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/alpha';
 
 const backend = createBackend();
 
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
index 87abbdcc93..a6f9b7b3e9 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import {
   coreServices,
   createBackendFeatureLoader,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import { systemMetadataServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/alpha/systemMetadata';
+import { systemMetadataServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/alpha';
 
 const backend = createBackend();