diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index e2c01560b..0fbbc9c24 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -145,7 +145,10 @@ dependencies {
         exclude("com.google.auto.service", "auto-service-annotations")
     }
     implementation("org.mongodb:mongo-java-driver:3.12.+")
-    implementation("org.springframework.data:spring-data-mongodb:2.2.+")
+    implementation("org.springframework.data:spring-data-mongodb:2.2.+"){
+        because("We only require the classes (for refaster style recipes), not the dependencies")
+        exclude(group = "org.springframework")
+    }
 
     testRuntimeOnly("ch.qos.logback:logback-classic:1.+")
     testRuntimeOnly(gradleApi())