diff --git a/context/build.gradle b/context/build.gradle
index d9cef85e8e4b..0566f6a0f319 100644
--- a/context/build.gradle
+++ b/context/build.gradle
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ plugins {
 description = 'gRPC: Context'
 
 dependencies {
-    compile libraries.jsr305
     testCompile project(':grpc-testing')
 }
 
diff --git a/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Context.java b/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Context.java
index daa1a2898c9b..27a736750009 100644
--- a/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Context.java
+++ b/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Context.java
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
-import javax.annotation.Nullable;
-
 /**
  * A context propagation mechanism which can carry scoped-values across API boundaries and between
  * threads. Examples of state propagated via context include:
@@ -380,7 +378,6 @@ public boolean isCancelled() {
    * <p>The cancellation cause is provided for informational purposes only and implementations
    * should generally assume that it has already been handled and logged properly.
    */
-  @Nullable
   public Throwable cancellationCause() {
     if (parent == null || !cascadesCancellation) {
       return null;
@@ -393,7 +390,6 @@ public Throwable cancellationCause() {
    * A context may have an associated {@link Deadline} at which it will be automatically cancelled.
    * @return A {@link io.grpc.Deadline} or {@code null} if no deadline is set.
    */
-  @Nullable
   public Deadline getDeadline() {
     return DEADLINE_KEY.get(this);
   }
@@ -686,13 +682,13 @@ public boolean isCurrent() {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Cancel this context and optionally provide a cause for the cancellation. This
-     * will trigger notification of listeners.
+     * Cancel this context and optionally provide a cause (can be {@code null}) for the
+     * cancellation. This will trigger notification of listeners.
      *
      * @return {@code true} if this context cancelled the context and notified listeners,
      *    {@code false} if the context was already cancelled.
      */
-    public boolean cancel(@Nullable Throwable cause) {
+    public boolean cancel(Throwable cause) {
       boolean triggeredCancel = false;
       synchronized (this) {
         if (!cancelled) {
@@ -718,7 +714,7 @@ public boolean cancel(@Nullable Throwable cause) {
      * @param toAttach context to make current.
      * @param cause of cancellation, can be {@code null}.
      */
-    public void detachAndCancel(Context toAttach, @Nullable Throwable cause) {
+    public void detachAndCancel(Context toAttach, Throwable cause) {
       try {
         detach(toAttach);
       } finally {
@@ -742,7 +738,6 @@ public boolean isCancelled() {
       return false;
     }
 
-    @Nullable
     @Override
     public Throwable cancellationCause() {
       if (isCancelled()) {
@@ -840,7 +835,7 @@ public void cancelled(Context context) {
     }
   }
 
-  private static <T> T checkNotNull(T reference, @Nullable Object errorMessage) {
+  private static <T> T checkNotNull(T reference, Object errorMessage) {
     if (reference == null) {
       throw new NullPointerException(String.valueOf(errorMessage));
     }
diff --git a/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Deadline.java b/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Deadline.java
index df99b7177098..c3ab53e32915 100644
--- a/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Deadline.java
+++ b/context/src/main/java/io/grpc/Deadline.java
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
-import javax.annotation.Nullable;
-
 /**
  * An absolute deadline in system time.
  */
@@ -179,7 +177,7 @@ public long read() {
     }
   }
 
-  private static <T> T checkNotNull(T reference, @Nullable Object errorMessage) {
+  private static <T> T checkNotNull(T reference, Object errorMessage) {
     if (reference == null) {
       throw new NullPointerException(String.valueOf(errorMessage));
     }