diff --git a/deptrac.yaml b/deptrac.yaml
index 5798c3dc6..e76d22ee2 100644
--- a/deptrac.yaml
+++ b/deptrac.yaml
@@ -128,8 +128,11 @@ deptrac:
       - Attribute
       - Metadata
     MetadataMessage:
+      - Aggregate
       - Attribute
+      - Debug
       - Metadata
+      - Store
     MetadataSubscriber:
       - Attribute
       - Metadata
diff --git a/src/Aggregate/AggregateHeader.php b/src/Aggregate/AggregateHeader.php
index 506a25ffe..d4e9b515d 100644
--- a/src/Aggregate/AggregateHeader.php
+++ b/src/Aggregate/AggregateHeader.php
@@ -5,11 +5,9 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate;
 
 use DateTimeImmutable;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Attribute\Header;
 use Patchlevel\Hydrator\Normalizer\DateTimeImmutableNormalizer;
 
 /** @psalm-immutable */
-#[Header('aggregate')]
 final class AggregateHeader
 {
     /** @param positive-int $playhead */
diff --git a/src/Debug/Trace/TraceHeader.php b/src/Debug/Trace/TraceHeader.php
index 2151b420a..c0406f1de 100644
--- a/src/Debug/Trace/TraceHeader.php
+++ b/src/Debug/Trace/TraceHeader.php
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Debug\Trace;
 
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Attribute\Header;
-
 /** @experimental */
-#[Header('trace')]
 final class TraceHeader
 {
     /** @param list<array{name: string, category: string}> $traces */
diff --git a/src/Message/Serializer/DefaultHeadersSerializer.php b/src/Message/Serializer/DefaultHeadersSerializer.php
index a6331ac9e..cc96f52d6 100644
--- a/src/Message/Serializer/DefaultHeadersSerializer.php
+++ b/src/Message/Serializer/DefaultHeadersSerializer.php
@@ -60,4 +60,13 @@ public static function createFromPaths(array $paths): static
             new JsonEncoder(),
         );
     }
+
+    public static function createDefault(): static
+    {
+        return new self(
+            MessageHeaderRegistry::createWithInternalHeaders(),
+            new MetadataHydrator(),
+            new JsonEncoder(),
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Metadata/Message/AttributeMessageHeaderRegistryFactory.php b/src/Metadata/Message/AttributeMessageHeaderRegistryFactory.php
index 819b0cf34..103e5d432 100644
--- a/src/Metadata/Message/AttributeMessageHeaderRegistryFactory.php
+++ b/src/Metadata/Message/AttributeMessageHeaderRegistryFactory.php
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ public function create(array $paths): MessageHeaderRegistry
             $result[$aggregateName] = $class;
         }
 
-        return new MessageHeaderRegistry($result);
+        return MessageHeaderRegistry::createWithInternalHeaders($result);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Metadata/Message/MessageHeaderRegistry.php b/src/Metadata/Message/MessageHeaderRegistry.php
index e6821bc11..d4bdb56d3 100644
--- a/src/Metadata/Message/MessageHeaderRegistry.php
+++ b/src/Metadata/Message/MessageHeaderRegistry.php
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Metadata\Message;
 
+use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateHeader;
+use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Debug\Trace\TraceHeader;
+use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Store\ArchivedHeader;
+use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Store\NewStreamStartHeader;
+
 use function array_flip;
 use function array_key_exists;
 
@@ -63,4 +68,17 @@ public function headerNames(): array
     {
         return $this->classToNameMap;
     }
+
+    /** @param array<string, class-string> $headerNameToClassMap */
+    public static function createWithInternalHeaders(array $headerNameToClassMap = []): self
+    {
+        $internalHeaders = [
+            'aggregate' => AggregateHeader::class,
+            'trace' => TraceHeader::class,
+            'archived' => ArchivedHeader::class,
+            'newStreamStart' => NewStreamStartHeader::class,
+        ];
+
+        return new self($headerNameToClassMap + $internalHeaders);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Store/ArchivedHeader.php b/src/Store/ArchivedHeader.php
index 941de7178..d65906031 100644
--- a/src/Store/ArchivedHeader.php
+++ b/src/Store/ArchivedHeader.php
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Store;
 
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Attribute\Header;
-
 /** @psalm-immutable */
-#[Header('archived')]
 final class ArchivedHeader
 {
     public function __construct(
diff --git a/src/Store/DoctrineDbalStore.php b/src/Store/DoctrineDbalStore.php
index edb70f64b..cf4b818a2 100644
--- a/src/Store/DoctrineDbalStore.php
+++ b/src/Store/DoctrineDbalStore.php
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateHeader;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\HeaderNotFound;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Message;
+use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\HeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Schema\DoctrineSchemaConfigurator;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Serializer\EventSerializer;
@@ -40,12 +41,15 @@ final class DoctrineDbalStore implements Store, ArchivableStore, SubscriptionSto
      */
     private const MAX_UNSIGNED_SMALL_INT = 65_535;
 
+    private readonly HeadersSerializer $headersSerializer;
+
     public function __construct(
         private readonly Connection $connection,
         private readonly EventSerializer $eventSerializer,
-        private readonly HeadersSerializer $headersSerializer,
+        HeadersSerializer|null $headersSerializer = null,
         private readonly string $storeTableName = 'eventstore',
     ) {
+        $this->headersSerializer = $headersSerializer ?? DefaultHeadersSerializer::createDefault();
     }
 
     public function load(
diff --git a/src/Store/NewStreamStartHeader.php b/src/Store/NewStreamStartHeader.php
index c7b8da202..0e84f7226 100644
--- a/src/Store/NewStreamStartHeader.php
+++ b/src/Store/NewStreamStartHeader.php
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Store;
 
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Attribute\Header;
-
 /** @psalm-immutable */
-#[Header('newStreamStart')]
 final class NewStreamStartHeader
 {
     public function __construct(
diff --git a/tests/Benchmark/SimpleSetupBench.php b/tests/Benchmark/SimpleSetupBench.php
index 52a4f20a5..1b8931f34 100644
--- a/tests/Benchmark/SimpleSetupBench.php
+++ b/tests/Benchmark/SimpleSetupBench.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Tests\Benchmark;
 
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateRootId;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\DefaultRepository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\Repository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Schema\DoctrineSchemaDirector;
@@ -32,11 +31,6 @@ public function setUp(): void
         $this->store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../src',
-                __DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events',
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $this->repository = new DefaultRepository($this->store, Profile::metadata());
diff --git a/tests/Benchmark/SnapshotsBench.php b/tests/Benchmark/SnapshotsBench.php
index 755876037..f11d22261 100644
--- a/tests/Benchmark/SnapshotsBench.php
+++ b/tests/Benchmark/SnapshotsBench.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Tests\Benchmark;
 
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateRootId;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\DefaultRepository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\Repository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Schema\DoctrineSchemaDirector;
@@ -38,11 +37,6 @@ public function setUp(): void
         $this->store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../src',
-                __DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events',
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $this->adapter = new InMemorySnapshotAdapter();
diff --git a/tests/Benchmark/SplitStreamBench.php b/tests/Benchmark/SplitStreamBench.php
index 7bb3737b5..659c6db78 100644
--- a/tests/Benchmark/SplitStreamBench.php
+++ b/tests/Benchmark/SplitStreamBench.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Tests\Benchmark;
 
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateRootId;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Metadata\Event\AttributeEventMetadataFactory;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\DefaultRepository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\MessageDecorator\SplitStreamDecorator;
@@ -36,11 +35,6 @@ public function setUp(): void
         $this->store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../src',
-                __DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events',
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $this->repository = new DefaultRepository(
diff --git a/tests/Benchmark/SubscriptionEngineBench.php b/tests/Benchmark/SubscriptionEngineBench.php
index c915b2581..54bbe1047 100644
--- a/tests/Benchmark/SubscriptionEngineBench.php
+++ b/tests/Benchmark/SubscriptionEngineBench.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Tests\Benchmark;
 
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateRootId;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\DefaultRepository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\Repository;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Schema\ChainDoctrineSchemaConfigurator;
@@ -41,13 +40,6 @@ public function setUp(): void
         $this->store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths(
-                [
-                    __DIR__ . '/BasicImplementation/Events',
-                    __DIR__ . '/../../src',
-                ],
-            ),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $this->repository = new DefaultRepository($this->store, Profile::metadata());
diff --git a/tests/Integration/BankAccountSplitStream/IntegrationTest.php b/tests/Integration/BankAccountSplitStream/IntegrationTest.php
index f4194b908..9540725a6 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/BankAccountSplitStream/IntegrationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Integration/BankAccountSplitStream/IntegrationTest.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Tests\Integration\BankAccountSplitStream;
 
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Connection;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Metadata\AggregateRoot\AggregateRootRegistry;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Metadata\Event\AttributeEventMetadataFactory;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\DefaultRepositoryManager;
@@ -47,11 +46,6 @@ public function testSuccessful(): void
         $store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $bankAccountProjector = new BankAccountProjector($this->connection);
diff --git a/tests/Integration/BasicImplementation/BasicIntegrationTest.php b/tests/Integration/BasicImplementation/BasicIntegrationTest.php
index 6d2bce8f2..d782339e8 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/BasicImplementation/BasicIntegrationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Integration/BasicImplementation/BasicIntegrationTest.php
@@ -46,10 +46,8 @@ public function testSuccessful(): void
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
             DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
+                __DIR__ . '/Header',
             ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $profileProjector = new ProfileProjector($this->connection);
@@ -115,10 +113,8 @@ public function testSnapshot(): void
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
             DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
+                __DIR__ . '/Header',
             ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $profileProjection = new ProfileProjector($this->connection);
diff --git a/tests/Integration/Pipeline/PipelineChangeStoreTest.php b/tests/Integration/Pipeline/PipelineChangeStoreTest.php
index cb9ceb23d..203f59d41 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/Pipeline/PipelineChangeStoreTest.php
+++ b/tests/Integration/Pipeline/PipelineChangeStoreTest.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 namespace Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Tests\Integration\Pipeline;
 
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Connection;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Pipeline\Middleware\ExcludeEventMiddleware;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Pipeline\Middleware\RecalculatePlayheadMiddleware;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Pipeline\Middleware\ReplaceEventMiddleware;
@@ -44,16 +43,10 @@ public function tearDown(): void
     public function testSuccessful(): void
     {
         $eventSerializer = DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']);
-        $headersSerializer = DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-            __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-            __DIR__,
-        ]);
 
         $oldStore = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connectionOld,
             $eventSerializer,
-            $headersSerializer,
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $oldSchemaDirector = new DoctrineSchemaDirector(
@@ -66,8 +59,6 @@ public function testSuccessful(): void
         $newStore = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connectionNew,
             $eventSerializer,
-            $headersSerializer,
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $newSchemaDirector = new DoctrineSchemaDirector(
diff --git a/tests/Integration/Store/StoreTest.php b/tests/Integration/Store/StoreTest.php
index 5ef674048..f6d6056fe 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/Store/StoreTest.php
+++ b/tests/Integration/Store/StoreTest.php
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 use Doctrine\DBAL\Connection;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Aggregate\AggregateHeader;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Message;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Schema\DoctrineSchemaDirector;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Serializer\DefaultEventSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Store\DoctrineDbalStore;
@@ -32,11 +31,6 @@ public function setUp(): void
         $this->store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $schemaDirector = new DoctrineSchemaDirector(
diff --git a/tests/Integration/Subscription/SubscriptionTest.php b/tests/Integration/Subscription/SubscriptionTest.php
index 4023f9a82..603dd9bce 100644
--- a/tests/Integration/Subscription/SubscriptionTest.php
+++ b/tests/Integration/Subscription/SubscriptionTest.php
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Debug\Trace\TraceHeader;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Debug\Trace\TraceStack;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Message;
-use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Message\Serializer\DefaultHeadersSerializer;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Metadata\AggregateRoot\AggregateRootRegistry;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Repository\DefaultRepositoryManager;
 use Patchlevel\EventSourcing\Schema\ChainDoctrineSchemaConfigurator;
@@ -63,11 +62,6 @@ public function testHappyPath(): void
         $store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $clock = new FrozenClock(new DateTimeImmutable('2021-01-01T00:00:00'));
@@ -183,11 +177,6 @@ public function testErrorHandling(): void
         $store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $subscriptionStore = new DoctrineSubscriptionStore(
@@ -315,11 +304,6 @@ public function testProcessor(): void
         $store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $clock = new FrozenClock(new DateTimeImmutable('2021-01-01T00:00:00'));
@@ -430,11 +414,6 @@ public function testBlueGreenDeployment(): void
         $store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $clock = new FrozenClock(new DateTimeImmutable('2021-01-01T00:00:00'));
@@ -591,11 +570,6 @@ public function testBlueGreenDeploymentRollback(): void
         $store = new DoctrineDbalStore(
             $this->connection,
             DefaultEventSerializer::createFromPaths([__DIR__ . '/Events']),
-            DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../src',
-                __DIR__,
-            ]),
-            'eventstore',
         );
 
         $clock = new FrozenClock(new DateTimeImmutable('2021-01-01T00:00:00'));
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Message/Serializer/HeadersSerializerTest.php b/tests/Unit/Message/Serializer/HeadersSerializerTest.php
index a1d8b587f..11951382e 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Message/Serializer/HeadersSerializerTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Message/Serializer/HeadersSerializerTest.php
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ final class HeadersSerializerTest extends TestCase
     public function testSerialize(): void
     {
         $serializer = DefaultHeadersSerializer::createFromPaths([
-            __DIR__ . '/../../../../src', // add our headers
-            __DIR__ . '/../../Fixture', // add user headers
+            __DIR__ . '/../../Fixture',
         ]);
 
         $content = $serializer->serialize([
@@ -44,8 +43,7 @@ public function testDeserialize(): void
     {
         $serializer = new DefaultHeadersSerializer(
             (new AttributeMessageHeaderRegistryFactory())->create([
-                __DIR__ . '/../../../../src', // add our headers
-                __DIR__ . '/../../Fixture', // add user headers
+                __DIR__ . '/../../Fixture',
             ]),
             new MetadataHydrator(),
             new JsonEncoder(),