diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e62ee9f2e..95263964c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ If you are using Maven without the BOM, add this to your dependencies:
 If you are using Gradle 5.x or later, add this to your dependencies:
 
 ```Groovy
-implementation platform('com.google.cloud:libraries-bom:26.38.0')
+implementation platform('com.google.cloud:libraries-bom:26.39.0')
 
 implementation 'com.google.cloud:google-cloud-bigtable'
 ```
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/pom.xml b/google-cloud-bigtable/pom.xml
index 501bc644d..6c9cecba5 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/pom.xml
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/pom.xml
@@ -188,11 +188,6 @@
       <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
       <artifactId>grpc-core</artifactId>
     </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
-      <artifactId>grpc-grpclb</artifactId>
-      <scope>runtime</scope>
-    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
       <artifactId>grpc-googleapis</artifactId>
@@ -707,11 +702,10 @@
         <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
         <configuration>
           <!--
-            grpc-grpclb is used at runtime using reflection
             grpc-auth is not directly used transitively, but is pulled to align with other grpc parts
             opencensus-impl-core is brought in transitively through opencensus-impl
             -->
-          <usedDependencies>io.grpc:grpc-auth,io.grpc:grpc-grpclb</usedDependencies>
+          <usedDependencies>io.grpc:grpc-auth</usedDependencies>
           <ignoredUsedUndeclaredDependencies>
             <ignoredUsedUndeclaredDependency>io.opencensus:opencensus-impl-core</ignoredUsedUndeclaredDependency>
           </ignoredUsedUndeclaredDependencies>
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java
index f07a8fb7f..c96a62697 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/data/v2/stub/EnhancedBigtableStubSettings.java
@@ -356,10 +356,7 @@ public static InstantiatingGrpcChannelProvider.Builder defaultGrpcTransportProvi
         .setMaxInboundMessageSize(MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE)
         .setKeepAliveTime(Duration.ofSeconds(30)) // sends ping in this interval
         .setKeepAliveTimeout(
-            Duration.ofSeconds(10)) // wait this long before considering the connection dead
-        // Attempts direct access to CBT service over gRPC to improve throughput,
-        // whether the attempt is allowed is totally controlled by service owner.
-        .setAttemptDirectPath(true);
+            Duration.ofSeconds(10)); // wait this long before considering the connection dead
   }
 
   @SuppressWarnings("WeakerAccess")