diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 87882664dd13a..3c97be17671c0 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -6231,7 +6231,6 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "reth-node-core"
 version = "0.2.0-beta.2"
 dependencies = [
- "alloy-chains",
  "alloy-rlp",
  "assert_matches",
  "clap",
@@ -6254,7 +6253,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "proptest",
  "rand 0.8.5",
  "reth-auto-seal-consensus",
- "reth-basic-payload-builder",
  "reth-beacon-consensus",
  "reth-blockchain-tree",
  "reth-config",
@@ -6262,15 +6260,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "reth-db",
  "reth-discv4",
  "reth-downloaders",
- "reth-eth-wire",
  "reth-interfaces",
  "reth-metrics",
  "reth-net-nat",
  "reth-network",
  "reth-network-api",
  "reth-node-api",
- "reth-optimism-payload-builder",
- "reth-payload-builder",
  "reth-primitives",
  "reth-provider",
  "reth-prune",
@@ -6286,7 +6281,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "reth-tasks",
  "reth-tracing",
  "reth-transaction-pool",
- "revm-inspectors",
  "secp256k1 0.27.0",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
diff --git a/crates/node-core/Cargo.toml b/crates/node-core/Cargo.toml
index d9dbb4f021de7..3c472cf015477 100644
--- a/crates/node-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/node-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ reth-net-nat.workspace = true
 reth-network-api.workspace = true
 reth-node-api.workspace = true
 reth-tasks.workspace = true
-reth-payload-builder.workspace = true
-reth-basic-payload-builder.workspace = true
 reth-consensus-common.workspace = true
 reth-auto-seal-consensus.workspace = true
 reth-beacon-consensus.workspace = true
@@ -43,12 +41,7 @@ reth-revm.workspace = true
 reth-stages.workspace = true
 reth-prune.workspace = true
 reth-blockchain-tree.workspace = true
-revm-inspectors.workspace = true
 reth-static-file.workspace = true
-reth-eth-wire.workspace = true
-
-# `optimism` feature
-reth-optimism-payload-builder = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 
 # async
 tokio.workspace = true
@@ -85,7 +78,6 @@ tracing.workspace = true
 
 # crypto
 alloy-rlp.workspace = true
-alloy-chains.workspace = true
 secp256k1 = { workspace = true, features = [
     "global-context",
     "rand-std",
@@ -118,14 +110,12 @@ optimism = [
     "reth-provider/optimism",
     "reth-network/optimism",
     "reth-network-api/optimism",
-    "reth-payload-builder/optimism",
     "reth-rpc-types/optimism",
     "reth-rpc-types-compat/optimism",
     "reth-auto-seal-consensus/optimism",
     "reth-consensus-common/optimism",
     "reth-blockchain-tree/optimism",
-    "reth-beacon-consensus/optimism",
-    "reth-optimism-payload-builder/optimism",
+    "reth-beacon-consensus/optimism"
 ]
 
 jemalloc = ["dep:jemalloc-ctl"]
diff --git a/crates/node-core/src/args/network_args.rs b/crates/node-core/src/args/network_args.rs
index caa6b580e23c6..fa1110677b397 100644
--- a/crates/node-core/src/args/network_args.rs
+++ b/crates/node-core/src/args/network_args.rs
@@ -81,19 +81,17 @@ pub struct NetworkArgs {
     #[arg(long)]
     pub max_inbound_peers: Option<usize>,
 
-    /// Soft limit for the byte size of a [`PooledTransactions`](reth_eth_wire::PooledTransactions)
-    /// response on assembling a [`GetPooledTransactions`](reth_eth_wire::GetPooledTransactions)
-    /// request. Spec'd at 2 MiB.
+    /// Soft limit for the byte size of a `PooledTransactions` response on assembling a
+    /// `GetPooledTransactions` request. Spec'd at 2 MiB.
     ///
     /// <https://github.com/ethereum/devp2p/blob/master/caps/eth.md#protocol-messages>.
     #[arg(long = "pooled-tx-response-soft-limit", value_name = "BYTES", default_value_t = SOFT_LIMIT_BYTE_SIZE_POOLED_TRANSACTIONS_RESPONSE, help = "Sets the soft limit for the byte size of pooled transactions response. Specified at 2 MiB by default. This is a spec'd value that should only be set for experimental purposes on a testnet.")]
     pub soft_limit_byte_size_pooled_transactions_response: usize,
 
-    /// Default soft limit for the byte size of a
-    /// [`PooledTransactions`](reth_eth_wire::PooledTransactions) response on assembling a
-    /// [`GetPooledTransactions`](reth_eth_wire::PooledTransactions) request. This defaults to less
+    /// Default soft limit for the byte size of a `PooledTransactions` response on assembling a
+    /// `GetPooledTransactions` request. This defaults to less
     /// than the [`SOFT_LIMIT_BYTE_SIZE_POOLED_TRANSACTIONS_RESPONSE`], at 2 MiB, used when
-    /// assembling a [`PooledTransactions`](reth_eth_wire::PooledTransactions) response. Default
+    /// assembling a `PooledTransactions` response. Default
     /// is 128 KiB.
     #[arg(long = "pooled-tx-pack-soft-limit", value_name = "BYTES", default_value_t = DEFAULT_SOFT_LIMIT_BYTE_SIZE_POOLED_TRANSACTIONS_RESP_ON_PACK_GET_POOLED_TRANSACTIONS_REQ)]
     pub soft_limit_byte_size_pooled_transactions_response_on_pack_request: usize,
diff --git a/crates/node-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/node-core/src/lib.rs
index 8295cc3d67a3d..eae853d1b70b7 100644
--- a/crates/node-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/node-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     html_favicon_url = "https://avatars0.githubusercontent.com/u/97369466?s=256",
     issue_tracker_base_url = "https://github.com/paradigmxyz/reth/issues/"
 )]
+#![cfg_attr(not(test), warn(unused_crate_dependencies))]
 #![cfg_attr(docsrs, feature(doc_cfg, doc_auto_cfg))]
 
 pub mod args;