diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index 76b182b9be5..886ba0e220c 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ extra["compilerModules"] = arrayOf(
         ":js:js.dce",
         ":compiler",
         ":kotlin-build-common",
+        ":core:metadata",
+        ":core:metadata.jvm",
         ":core:descriptors",
         ":core:descriptors.jvm",
         ":core:deserialization",
diff --git a/core/descriptors.jvm/build.gradle.kts b/core/descriptors.jvm/build.gradle.kts
index a920ed04084..1236d950e5e 100644
--- a/core/descriptors.jvm/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/core/descriptors.jvm/build.gradle.kts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ javaHome = rootProject.extra["JDK_16"] as String
 dependencies {
     compile(project(":core:descriptors"))
     compile(project(":core:deserialization"))
+    compile(project(":core:metadata.jvm"))
     compile(project(":core:util.runtime"))
     compile(commonDep("javax.inject"))
 }
diff --git a/core/deserialization/build.gradle.kts b/core/deserialization/build.gradle.kts
index 7a48c507e54..8fbb322dd54 100644
--- a/core/deserialization/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/core/deserialization/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile
-
 apply { plugin("kotlin") }
 apply { plugin("jps-compatible") }
 
@@ -7,9 +5,9 @@ jvmTarget = "1.6"
 javaHome = rootProject.extra["JDK_16"] as String
 
 dependencies {
+    compile(project(":core:metadata"))
     compile(project(":core:util.runtime"))
     compile(project(":core:descriptors"))
-    compile(protobufLite())
     compile(commonDep("javax.inject"))
 }
 
@@ -19,11 +17,6 @@ sourceSets {
 }
 
 tasks.withType<JavaCompile> {
-    dependsOn(protobufLiteTask)
     sourceCompatibility = "1.6"
     targetCompatibility = "1.6"
 }
-
-tasks.withType<KotlinCompile> {
-    dependsOn(protobufLiteTask)
-}
diff --git a/core/metadata.jvm/build.gradle.kts b/core/metadata.jvm/build.gradle.kts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e75de2f051f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/metadata.jvm/build.gradle.kts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+apply { plugin("kotlin") }
+
+jvmTarget = "1.6"
+javaHome = rootProject.extra["JDK_16"] as String
+
+dependencies {
+    compile(project(":core:metadata"))
+}
+
+sourceSets {
+    "main" { projectDefault() }
+    "test" {}
+}
+
+tasks.withType<JavaCompile> {
+    sourceCompatibility = "1.6"
+    targetCompatibility = "1.6"
+}
diff --git a/core/metadata/build.gradle.kts b/core/metadata/build.gradle.kts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fe2d1f91d9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/metadata/build.gradle.kts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.tasks.KotlinCompile
+
+apply { plugin("kotlin") }
+
+jvmTarget = "1.6"
+javaHome = rootProject.extra["JDK_16"] as String
+
+dependencies {
+    compile(protobufLite())
+    compile(project(":kotlin-stdlib"))
+}
+
+sourceSets {
+    "main" { projectDefault() }
+    "test" {}
+}
+
+tasks.withType<JavaCompile> {
+    dependsOn(protobufLiteTask)
+    sourceCompatibility = "1.6"
+    targetCompatibility = "1.6"
+}
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinCompile> {
+    dependsOn(protobufLiteTask)
+}
diff --git a/gradle/project-schema.json b/gradle/project-schema.json
index 4df49146b56..9daf2e92d1f 100644
--- a/gradle/project-schema.json
+++ b/gradle/project-schema.json
@@ -3294,6 +3294,76 @@
             "reporting": "org.gradle.api.reporting.ReportingExtension"
         }
     },
+    ":core:metadata": {
+        "conventions": {
+            "base": "org.gradle.api.plugins.BasePluginConvention",
+            "java": "org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginConvention"
+        },
+        "configurations": [
+            "apiElements",
+            "archives",
+            "compile",
+            "compileClasspath",
+            "compileOnly",
+            "default",
+            "implementation",
+            "kapt",
+            "kaptTest",
+            "runtime",
+            "runtimeClasspath",
+            "runtimeElements",
+            "runtimeOnly",
+            "testCompile",
+            "testCompileClasspath",
+            "testCompileOnly",
+            "testImplementation",
+            "testRuntime",
+            "testRuntimeClasspath",
+            "testRuntimeOnly"
+        ],
+        "extensions": {
+            "ext": "org.gradle.api.plugins.ExtraPropertiesExtension",
+            "kotlin": "org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinJvmProjectExtension",
+            "kapt": "org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.plugin.KaptExtension",
+            "defaultArtifacts": "org.gradle.api.internal.plugins.DefaultArtifactPublicationSet",
+            "reporting": "org.gradle.api.reporting.ReportingExtension"
+        }
+    },
+    ":core:metadata.jvm": {
+        "conventions": {
+            "base": "org.gradle.api.plugins.BasePluginConvention",
+            "java": "org.gradle.api.plugins.JavaPluginConvention"
+        },
+        "configurations": [
+            "apiElements",
+            "archives",
+            "compile",
+            "compileClasspath",
+            "compileOnly",
+            "default",
+            "implementation",
+            "kapt",
+            "kaptTest",
+            "runtime",
+            "runtimeClasspath",
+            "runtimeElements",
+            "runtimeOnly",
+            "testCompile",
+            "testCompileClasspath",
+            "testCompileOnly",
+            "testImplementation",
+            "testRuntime",
+            "testRuntimeClasspath",
+            "testRuntimeOnly"
+        ],
+        "extensions": {
+            "ext": "org.gradle.api.plugins.ExtraPropertiesExtension",
+            "kotlin": "org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinJvmProjectExtension",
+            "kapt": "org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.plugin.KaptExtension",
+            "defaultArtifacts": "org.gradle.api.internal.plugins.DefaultArtifactPublicationSet",
+            "reporting": "org.gradle.api.reporting.ReportingExtension"
+        }
+    },
     ":core:util.runtime": {
         "conventions": {
             "base": "org.gradle.api.plugins.BasePluginConvention",
diff --git a/libraries/reflect/build.gradle.kts b/libraries/reflect/build.gradle.kts
index b3c19675699..112e2f9186d 100644
--- a/libraries/reflect/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/libraries/reflect/build.gradle.kts
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ dependencies {
     proguardDeps(files(firstFromJavaHomeThatExists("jre/lib/rt.jar", "../Classes/classes.jar", jdkHome = File(property("JDK_16") as String))))
 
     shadows(project(":kotlin-reflect-api"))
+    shadows(project(":core:metadata"))
+    shadows(project(":core:metadata.jvm"))
     shadows(project(":core:descriptors"))
     shadows(project(":core:descriptors.jvm"))
     shadows(project(":core:deserialization"))
diff --git a/prepare/idea-plugin/build.gradle.kts b/prepare/idea-plugin/build.gradle.kts
index 8cfed4763b7..b1ecc761fc2 100644
--- a/prepare/idea-plugin/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/prepare/idea-plugin/build.gradle.kts
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ val projectsToShadow by extra(listOf(
         ":compiler:cli-common",
         ":compiler:container",
         ":compiler:daemon-common",
+        ":core:metadata",
+        ":core:metadata.jvm",
         ":core:descriptors",
         ":core:descriptors.jvm",
         ":core:deserialization",
diff --git a/settings.gradle b/settings.gradle
index 59a2bb398ca..9296b126c7c 100644
--- a/settings.gradle
+++ b/settings.gradle
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ include ":kotlin-build-common",
         ":core:descriptors.jvm",
         ":core:deserialization",
         ":core:descriptors.runtime",
+        ":core:metadata",
+        ":core:metadata.jvm",
         ":core:builtins",
         ":core:util.runtime",
         ":custom-dependencies:protobuf-relocated",