diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index f681fc9417..4fd45217f8 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -172,6 +172,12 @@ subprojects {
         testImplementation "org.mockito:mockito-core:${mockitoVersion}"
         testImplementation "org.hamcrest:hamcrest:${hamcrestVersion}"
         testImplementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:${log4jVersion}"
+
+        if (SAXON_TEST) {
+            testRuntimeOnly("net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}") {
+                exclude group: 'xml-apis', module: 'xml-apis'
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     java {
diff --git a/poi-examples/build.gradle b/poi-examples/build.gradle
index 8ce4abd87e..ed6ae97c92 100644
--- a/poi-examples/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-examples/build.gradle
@@ -43,10 +43,6 @@ dependencies {
         }
     }
     testImplementation project(path: ':poi', configuration: 'tests')
-
-    if (SAXON_TEST) {
-         testRuntimeOnly "net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}"
-    }
 }
 
 final String MODULE_NAME = 'org.apache.poi.examples'
diff --git a/poi-excelant/build.gradle b/poi-excelant/build.gradle
index 1b394fe994..0c0bb935d4 100644
--- a/poi-excelant/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-excelant/build.gradle
@@ -45,10 +45,6 @@ dependencies {
     testImplementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-slf4j2-impl:${log4jVersion}"
     testImplementation 'org.slf4j:slf4j-simple:2.0.6'
     testRuntimeOnly "org.apiguardian:apiguardian-api:${apiGuardianVersion}"
-
-    if (SAXON_TEST) {
-        testRuntimeOnly "net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}"
-    }
 }
 
 final String MODULE_NAME = 'org.apache.poi.excelant'
diff --git a/poi-integration/build.gradle b/poi-integration/build.gradle
index 9b46ca3940..f9967fc2dd 100644
--- a/poi-integration/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-integration/build.gradle
@@ -78,10 +78,6 @@ dependencies {
     testImplementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-slf4j2-impl:${log4jVersion}"
     testImplementation 'org.slf4j:slf4j-simple:2.0.6'
     testRuntimeOnly "org.apiguardian:apiguardian-api:${apiGuardianVersion}"
-
-    if (SAXON_TEST) {
-        testRuntimeOnly "net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}"
-    }
 }
 
 final String MODULE_NAME = 'org.apache.poi.stress'
diff --git a/poi-ooxml/build.gradle b/poi-ooxml/build.gradle
index 1c2ffca5c9..2c3cb9199c 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-ooxml/build.gradle
@@ -127,10 +127,6 @@ dependencies {
     testImplementation "org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-slf4j2-impl:${log4jVersion}"
     testImplementation 'org.slf4j:slf4j-simple:2.0.6'
 
-    if (SAXON_TEST) {
-        testRuntimeOnly "net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}"
-    }
-
     broken("org.apache.xmlgraphics:batik-script:${batikVersion}"){
         exclude group: 'xalan', module: 'xalan'
         exclude group: 'xml-apis', module: 'xml-apis'
diff --git a/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle b/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle
index 9caafbd3f4..60efe68b22 100644
--- a/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle
+++ b/poi-scratchpad/build.gradle
@@ -43,10 +43,6 @@ dependencies {
     testRuntimeOnly "org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-engine:${junitVersion}"
     testRuntimeOnly "org.apiguardian:apiguardian-api:${apiGuardianVersion}"
 
-    if (SAXON_TEST) {
-        testRuntimeOnly "net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}"
-    }
-
     javadocs project(':poi')
     javadocs project(':poi-ooxml')
 }
diff --git a/poi/build.gradle b/poi/build.gradle
index 57493d7c38..c2f60e24a0 100644
--- a/poi/build.gradle
+++ b/poi/build.gradle
@@ -50,12 +50,6 @@ dependencies {
     testRuntimeOnly "org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-engine:${junitVersion}"
     testRuntimeOnly "org.apiguardian:apiguardian-api:${apiGuardianVersion}"
 
-    if (SAXON_TEST) {
-        testRuntimeOnly("net.sf.saxon:Saxon-HE:${saxonVersion}") {
-            exclude group: 'xml-apis', module: 'xml-apis'
-        }
-    }
-
     // needed for locating the external references
     javadocs project(':poi-ooxml')
     javadocs project(':poi-scratchpad')