diff --git a/async-http.gemspec b/async-http.gemspec
index db7b8429..41caf1d9 100644
--- a/async-http.gemspec
+++ b/async-http.gemspec
@@ -28,10 +28,8 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
 	spec.add_dependency "async-pool", "~> 0.11"
 	spec.add_dependency "io-endpoint", "~> 0.14"
 	spec.add_dependency "io-stream", "~> 0.6"
-	spec.add_dependency "metrics", "~> 0.12"
 	spec.add_dependency "protocol-http", "~> 0.62"
 	spec.add_dependency "protocol-http1", "~> 0.39"
 	spec.add_dependency "protocol-http2", "~> 0.26"
 	spec.add_dependency "protocol-url", "~> 0.2"
-	spec.add_dependency "traces", "~> 0.10"
 end
diff --git a/gems.rb b/gems.rb
index 6fd63eee..3cec837f 100644
--- a/gems.rb
+++ b/gems.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 	gem "rubocop"
 	gem "rubocop-md"
 	gem "rubocop-socketry"
+	gem "metrics", "~> 0.12"
+	gem "traces", "~> 0.10"
 	
 	gem "sus-fixtures-async"
 	gem "sus-fixtures-async-http", "~> 0.8"
diff --git a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/client.rb b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/client.rb
index 3a7c586d..6168d4ab 100644
--- a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/client.rb
+++ b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/client.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # Copyright, 2025, by Samuel Williams.
 
 require_relative "../../../../async/http/client"
+require "traces/provider"
 
 Traces::Provider(Async::HTTP::Client) do
 	def call(request)
diff --git a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http1/client.rb b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http1/client.rb
index 27f71b3b..da6c8709 100644
--- a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http1/client.rb
+++ b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http1/client.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # Copyright, 2025, by Samuel Williams.
 
 require_relative "../../../../../../async/http/protocol/http1/client"
+require "traces/provider"
 
 Traces::Provider(Async::HTTP::Protocol::HTTP1::Client) do
 	def write_request(...)
diff --git a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http2/client.rb b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http2/client.rb
index 68fa0d58..960cd685 100644
--- a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http2/client.rb
+++ b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/protocol/http2/client.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # Copyright, 2025, by Samuel Williams.
 
 require_relative "../../../../../../async/http/protocol/http2/client"
+require "traces/provider"
 
 Traces::Provider(Async::HTTP::Protocol::HTTP2::Client) do
 	def write_request(...)
diff --git a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/server.rb b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/server.rb
index 0aa4119b..2d8db103 100644
--- a/lib/traces/provider/async/http/server.rb
+++ b/lib/traces/provider/async/http/server.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # Copyright, 2025, by Samuel Williams.
 
 require_relative "../../../../async/http/server"
+require "traces/provider"
 
 Traces::Provider(Async::HTTP::Server) do
 	def call(request)
diff --git a/releases.md b/releases.md
index fd61c232..70f7a446 100644
--- a/releases.md
+++ b/releases.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Releases
 
+## Unreleased
+
+  - Made `metrics` and `traces` optional runtime dependencies. Applications that use the providers should depend on the corresponding gem and require the provider explicitly.
+
 ## v0.95.1
 
   - Fix handling of reset stream causing complete connection failure.