diff --git a/client/sniffer/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/client/sniff/ElasticsearchHostsSnifferTests.java b/client/sniffer/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/client/sniff/ElasticsearchHostsSnifferTests.java
index f13d175110434..ed2744df31c61 100644
--- a/client/sniffer/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/client/sniff/ElasticsearchHostsSnifferTests.java
+++ b/client/sniffer/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/client/sniff/ElasticsearchHostsSnifferTests.java
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 import org.apache.http.Consts;
 import org.apache.http.HttpHost;
 import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpGet;
-import org.codehaus.mojo.animal_sniffer.IgnoreJRERequirement;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.Response;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.ResponseException;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.RestClient;
@@ -148,8 +147,6 @@ private static HttpServer createHttpServer(final SniffResponse sniffResponse, fi
         return httpServer;
     }
 
-    //animal-sniffer doesn't like our usage of com.sun.net.httpserver.* classes
-    @IgnoreJRERequirement
     private static class ResponseHandler implements HttpHandler {
         private final int sniffTimeoutMillis;
         private final SniffResponse sniffResponse;
diff --git a/client/test/build.gradle b/client/test/build.gradle
index 8842e8b15e4bf..59c45186fe76b 100644
--- a/client/test/build.gradle
+++ b/client/test/build.gradle
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import org.elasticsearch.gradle.precommit.PrecommitTasks
 import org.gradle.api.JavaVersion
 
 apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.build'
-apply plugin: 'ru.vyarus.animalsniffer'
 
 targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
 sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
@@ -31,8 +30,6 @@ dependencies {
   compile "com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting:randomizedtesting-runner:${versions.randomizedrunner}"
   compile "junit:junit:${versions.junit}"
   compile "org.hamcrest:hamcrest-all:${versions.hamcrest}"
-  compile "org.codehaus.mojo:animal-sniffer-annotations:1.15"
-  signature "org.codehaus.mojo.signature:java17:1.0@signature"
 }
 
 forbiddenApisMain {
diff --git a/distribution/tools/launchers/build.gradle b/distribution/tools/launchers/build.gradle
index 27e8712ffcbe2..ff0f4c473a49e 100644
--- a/distribution/tools/launchers/build.gradle
+++ b/distribution/tools/launchers/build.gradle
@@ -21,14 +21,11 @@ import org.elasticsearch.gradle.precommit.PrecommitTasks
 import org.gradle.api.JavaVersion
 
 apply plugin: 'elasticsearch.build'
-apply plugin: 'ru.vyarus.animalsniffer'
 
 sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
 targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
 
 dependencies {
-    signature "org.codehaus.mojo.signature:java17:1.0@signature"
-
     testCompile "com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting:randomizedtesting-runner:${versions.randomizedrunner}"
     testCompile "junit:junit:${versions.junit}"
     testCompile "org.hamcrest:hamcrest-all:${versions.hamcrest}"