diff --git a/.changeset/rare-berries-give.md b/.changeset/rare-berries-give.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39e360bf48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/rare-berries-give.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/repo-tools': patch
+---
+
+Packages without a declared `backstage.role` are now ignored.
diff --git a/packages/repo-tools/src/commands/api-reports/api-extractor.ts b/packages/repo-tools/src/commands/api-reports/api-extractor.ts
index b037f40be6..39df70c21a 100644
--- a/packages/repo-tools/src/commands/api-reports/api-extractor.ts
+++ b/packages/repo-tools/src/commands/api-reports/api-extractor.ts
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ export async function categorizePackageDirs(packageDirs: any[]) {
             });
           const role = pkgJson?.backstage?.role;
           if (!role) {
-            throw new Error(`No backstage.role in ${dir}/package.json`);
+            return; // Ignore packages without roles
           }
           if (role === 'cli') {
             cliPackageDirs.push(dir);