diff --git a/checker-qual/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/qual/AnnotatedFor.java b/checker-qual/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/qual/AnnotatedFor.java
index 48c4f7ab47f7..135da508f9c9 100644
--- a/checker-qual/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/qual/AnnotatedFor.java
+++ b/checker-qual/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/qual/AnnotatedFor.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
  * @checker_framework.manual #compiling-libraries Compiling partially-annotated libraries
  */
 @Documented
-@Retention(RetentionPolicy.SOURCE)
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 @Target({ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR, ElementType.PACKAGE})
 public @interface AnnotatedFor {
     /**
diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index afad2ac0f46b..581afa059699 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ Version 3.49.5-eisop1 (July ??, 2025)
 
 **User-visible changes:**
 
+The new command-line option '-AnoBytecodeStorage' configures the Checker Framework to not store defaulted annotations in
+bytecode.
+
 The new command-line option `-AonlyAnnotatedFor` suppresses all type-checking errors and warnings outside the scope of
 a corresponding `@AnnotatedFor` annotation.
 Note that the `@AnnotatedFor` annotation must include the checker's name to enable warnings from that checker.
diff --git a/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/source/SourceChecker.java b/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/source/SourceChecker.java
index 0c0c9a37d1a2..d816b53a6c71 100644
--- a/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/source/SourceChecker.java
+++ b/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/source/SourceChecker.java
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@
     // org.checkerframework.framework.source.SourceChecker.useConservativeDefault
     "useConservativeDefaultsForUncheckedCode",
 
+    // Whether to store defaulted annotations in bytecode.
+    // org.checkerframework.framework.type.AnnotatedTypeFactory.postProcessClassTree
+    "noBytecodeStorage",
+
     // Whether to assume sound concurrent semantics or
     // simplified sequential semantics
     // org.checkerframework.framework.flow.CFAbstractTransfer.sequentialSemantics
diff --git a/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/type/AnnotatedTypeFactory.java b/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/type/AnnotatedTypeFactory.java
index cb28a2142a5e..bfb8095f90e6 100644
--- a/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/type/AnnotatedTypeFactory.java
+++ b/framework/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/framework/type/AnnotatedTypeFactory.java
@@ -1532,10 +1532,14 @@ public void preProcessClassTree(ClassTree classTree) {}
      * <p>The default implementation uses this to store the defaulted AnnotatedTypeMirrors and
      * inherited declaration annotations back into the corresponding Elements. Subclasses might want
      * to override this method if storing defaulted types is not desirable.
+     *
+     * @param tree the ClassTree that has been processed
      */
     public void postProcessClassTree(ClassTree tree) {
-        TypesIntoElements.store(processingEnv, this, tree);
-        DeclarationsIntoElements.store(processingEnv, this, tree);
+        if (!checker.hasOption("noBytecodeStorage")) {
+            TypesIntoElements.store(processingEnv, this, tree);
+            DeclarationsIntoElements.store(processingEnv, this, tree);
+        }
 
         if (typeInformationPresenter != null) {
             typeInformationPresenter.process(tree, getPath(tree));