diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
index ee62ef966d..bc778b6589 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ import { ServiceRegistry } from './ServiceRegistry';
 import { createInitializationLogger } from './createInitializationLogger';
 import { deepFreeze, unwrapFeature } from './helpers';
 import type { RootInstanceMetadataServicePluginInfo } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import { instanceMetadataServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 
 export interface BackendRegisterInit {
   consumes: Set<ServiceOrExtensionPoint>;
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md b/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md
index 58277b5e1e..2ca3525946 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/report-alpha.api.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ```ts
 import { ActionsRegistryService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 import { ActionsService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
+import { InstanceMetadataService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 import { ServiceFactory } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
 // @public (undocumented)
@@ -21,5 +22,12 @@ export const actionsServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
   'singleton'
 >;
 
+// @alpha @deprecated (undocumented)
+export const instanceMetadataServiceFactory: ServiceFactory<
+  InstanceMetadataService,
+  'plugin',
+  'singleton'
+>;
+
 // (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
 ```
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/alpha/entrypoints/instanceMetadata/instanceMetadataServiceFactory.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/alpha/entrypoints/instanceMetadata/instanceMetadataServiceFactory.ts
index f5e3af503b..a50c8f0058 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/alpha/entrypoints/instanceMetadata/instanceMetadataServiceFactory.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/alpha/entrypoints/instanceMetadata/instanceMetadataServiceFactory.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ import {
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { instanceMetadataServiceRef } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api/alpha';
 
+/**
+ * @alpha
+ * @deprecated use {@link @backstage/backend-plugin-api#coreServices.rootInstanceMetadata} instead
+ */
 export const instanceMetadataServiceFactory = createServiceFactory({
   service: instanceMetadataServiceRef,
   deps: {
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md
index cefed593c0..9be7a29ed5 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report-alpha.api.md
@@ -103,5 +103,30 @@ export const actionsServiceRef: ServiceRef<
   'singleton'
 >;
 
+// @alpha (undocumented)
+export type BackendFeatureMeta =
+  | {
+      type: 'plugin';
+      pluginId: string;
+    }
+  | {
+      type: 'module';
+      pluginId: string;
+      moduleId: string;
+    };
+
+// @alpha (undocumented)
+export interface InstanceMetadataService {
+  // (undocumented)
+  getInstalledFeatures: () => BackendFeatureMeta[];
+}
+
+// @alpha (undocumented)
+export const instanceMetadataServiceRef: ServiceRef<
+  InstanceMetadataService,
+  'plugin',
+  'singleton'
+>;
+
 // (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
 ```
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md
index fdb30434ed..cce3221c80 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/report.api.md
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ export namespace coreServices {
   const rootLogger: ServiceRef<RootLoggerService, 'root', 'singleton'>;
   const scheduler: ServiceRef<SchedulerService, 'plugin', 'singleton'>;
   const urlReader: ServiceRef<UrlReaderService, 'plugin', 'singleton'>;
-  const instanceMetadata: ServiceRef<
-    InstanceMetadataService,
+  const rootInstanceMetadata: ServiceRef<
+    RootInstanceMetadataService,
     'plugin',
     'singleton'
   >;
@@ -421,24 +421,6 @@ export interface HttpRouterServiceAuthPolicy {
   path: string;
 }
 
-// @public (undocumented)
-export interface InstanceMetadataService {
-  // (undocumented)
-  getInstalledPlugins: () => Promise<
-    ReadonlyArray<InstanceMetadataServicePluginInfo>
-  >;
-}
-
-// @public (undocumented)
-export interface InstanceMetadataServicePluginInfo {
-  // (undocumented)
-  readonly modules: ReadonlyArray<{
-    moduleId: string;
-  }>;
-  // (undocumented)
-  readonly pluginId: string;
-}
-
 export { isChildPath };
 
 // @public
@@ -601,6 +583,24 @@ export interface RootHttpRouterService {
   use(path: string, handler: Handler): void;
 }
 
+// @public (undocumented)
+export interface RootInstanceMetadataService {
+  // (undocumented)
+  getInstalledPlugins: () => Promise<
+    ReadonlyArray<RootInstanceMetadataServicePluginInfo>
+  >;
+}
+
+// @public (undocumented)
+export interface RootInstanceMetadataServicePluginInfo {
+  // (undocumented)
+  readonly modules: ReadonlyArray<{
+    moduleId: string;
+  }>;
+  // (undocumented)
+  readonly pluginId: string;
+}
+
 // @public
 export interface RootLifecycleService extends LifecycleService {
   // (undocumented)
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md b/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
index 8650036014..ebe5eaaf15 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import { ExtendedHttpServer } from '@backstage/backend-defaults/rootHttpRouter';
 import { ExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { HttpAuthService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { HttpRouterService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import { InstanceMetadataService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { JsonObject } from '@backstage/types';
 import Keyv from 'keyv';
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
@@ -36,6 +35,7 @@ import { PermissionsService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { RootConfigService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { RootHealthService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { RootHttpRouterService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { RootInstanceMetadataService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { RootLifecycleService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { RootLoggerService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { SchedulerService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
@@ -263,21 +263,6 @@ export namespace mockServices {
       ) => ServiceMock<HttpRouterService>;
   }
   // (undocumented)
-  export function instanceMetadata(): InstanceMetadataService;
-  // (undocumented)
-  export namespace instanceMetadata {
-    const // (undocumented)
-      mock: (
-        partialImpl?: Partial<InstanceMetadataService> | undefined,
-      ) => ServiceMock<InstanceMetadataService>;
-    const // (undocumented)
-      factory: () => ServiceFactory<
-        InstanceMetadataService,
-        'plugin',
-        'singleton' | 'multiton'
-      >;
-  }
-  // (undocumented)
   export namespace lifecycle {
     const // (undocumented)
       factory: () => ServiceFactory<LifecycleService, 'plugin', 'singleton'>;
@@ -360,6 +345,21 @@ export namespace mockServices {
       ) => ServiceMock<RootHttpRouterService>;
   }
   // (undocumented)
+  export function rootInstanceMetadata(): RootInstanceMetadataService;
+  // (undocumented)
+  export namespace rootInstanceMetadata {
+    const // (undocumented)
+      mock: (
+        partialImpl?: Partial<RootInstanceMetadataService> | undefined,
+      ) => ServiceMock<RootInstanceMetadataService>;
+    const // (undocumented)
+      factory: () => ServiceFactory<
+        RootInstanceMetadataService,
+        'plugin',
+        'singleton' | 'multiton'
+      >;
+  }
+  // (undocumented)
   export namespace rootLifecycle {
     const // (undocumented)
       factory: () => ServiceFactory<RootLifecycleService, 'root', 'singleton'>;
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts b/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts
index 4f12fc889d..026fc6fd02 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export default createBackendPlugin({
   register(env) {
     env.registerInit({
       deps: {
-        instanceMetadata: coreServices.instanceMetadata,
+        instanceMetadata: coreServices.rootInstanceMetadata,
         logger: coreServices.logger,
       },
       async init({ instanceMetadata, logger }) {
diff --git a/plugins/gateway-backend/src/plugin.ts b/plugins/gateway-backend/src/plugin.ts
index efd7a372de..6facc1ddea 100644
--- a/plugins/gateway-backend/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/plugins/gateway-backend/src/plugin.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export const gatewayPlugin = createBackendPlugin({
       deps: {
         logger: coreServices.logger,
         rootHttpRouter: coreServices.rootHttpRouter,
-        instanceMeta: coreServices.instanceMetadata,
+        instanceMeta: coreServices.rootInstanceMetadata,
         discovery: coreServices.discovery,
       },
       async init({ logger, discovery, instanceMeta, rootHttpRouter }) {
diff --git a/plugins/gateway-backend/src/router.ts b/plugins/gateway-backend/src/router.ts
index 7f8c898761..8263fb27ab 100644
--- a/plugins/gateway-backend/src/router.ts
+++ b/plugins/gateway-backend/src/router.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 import {
   DiscoveryService,
-  InstanceMetadataService,
+  RootInstanceMetadataService,
   LoggerService,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export async function createRouter({
   instanceMeta,
 }: {
   discovery: DiscoveryService;
-  instanceMeta: InstanceMetadataService;
+  instanceMeta: RootInstanceMetadataService;
   logger: LoggerService;
 }) {
   const plugins = await instanceMeta.getInstalledPlugins();