diff --git a/pkg/vmcp/client/client.go b/pkg/vmcp/client/client.go
index c67b79e4bd..59baf1fd86 100644
--- a/pkg/vmcp/client/client.go
+++ b/pkg/vmcp/client/client.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	vmcpauth "github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/vmcp/auth"
 	authtypes "github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/vmcp/auth/types"
 	"github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/vmcp/conversion"
+	"github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/vmcp/headerforward"
 	healthcontext "github.com/stacklok/toolhive/pkg/vmcp/health/context"
 )
 
@@ -306,7 +307,9 @@ func (h *httpBackendClient) defaultClientFactory(ctx context.Context, target *vm
 	// Inject per-backend HTTP headers from MCPServerEntry.spec.headerForward.
 	// Resolves plaintext + secret-backed headers once here; auth (inner) always
 	// wins over user-supplied headers because it runs after this tripper.
-	baseTransport, err = buildHeaderForwardTripper(ctx, baseTransport, target.HeaderForward, h.secretsProvider, target.WorkloadID)
+	baseTransport, err = headerforward.BuildHeaderForwardTripper(
+		ctx, baseTransport, target.HeaderForward, h.secretsProvider, target.WorkloadID,
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to build header-forward transport: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/vmcp/client/header_forward.go b/pkg/vmcp/headerforward/transport.go
similarity index 92%
rename from pkg/vmcp/client/header_forward.go
rename to pkg/vmcp/headerforward/transport.go
index 1708742dd8..8bac2cf500 100644
--- a/pkg/vmcp/client/header_forward.go
+++ b/pkg/vmcp/headerforward/transport.go
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 Stacklok, Inc.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-package client
+// Package headerforward provides the HTTP round-tripper that injects
+// per-backend forwarded headers (plaintext + secret-resolved) onto outbound
+// requests. It is consumed by both the capability-discovery HTTP client
+// (pkg/vmcp/client) and the per-session HTTP client
+// (pkg/vmcp/session/internal/backend).
+package headerforward
 
 import (
 	"context"
@@ -55,7 +60,7 @@ func (h *headerForwardRoundTripper) RoundTrip(req *http.Request) (*http.Response
 	return h.base.RoundTrip(reqCopy)
 }
 
-// buildHeaderForwardTripper constructs a headerForwardRoundTripper for the
+// BuildHeaderForwardTripper constructs a headerForwardRoundTripper for the
 // backend's pre-resolved HeaderForwardConfig. Returns base unchanged when no
 // header injection is configured or the effective header set is empty.
 //
@@ -66,7 +71,7 @@ func (h *headerForwardRoundTripper) RoundTrip(req *http.Request) (*http.Response
 // Restricted header names (matching pkg/transport/middleware.RestrictedHeaders)
 // are rejected to prevent Host, Content-Length, Authorization, hop-by-hop, and
 // X-Forwarded-* spoofing via user-supplied config.
-func buildHeaderForwardTripper(
+func BuildHeaderForwardTripper(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	base http.RoundTripper,
 	cfg *vmcp.HeaderForwardConfig,
diff --git a/pkg/vmcp/client/header_forward_test.go b/pkg/vmcp/headerforward/transport_test.go
similarity index 98%
rename from pkg/vmcp/client/header_forward_test.go
rename to pkg/vmcp/headerforward/transport_test.go
index eddbfd21c9..d1d19042d8 100644
--- a/pkg/vmcp/client/header_forward_test.go
+++ b/pkg/vmcp/headerforward/transport_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 Stacklok, Inc.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-package client
+package headerforward
 
 import (
 	"context"
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestResolveHeaderForward_NilCfgReturnsNil(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuildHeaderForwardTripper_NilCfgReturnsBase(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	base := &captureTripper{}
-	got, err := buildHeaderForwardTripper(t.Context(), base, nil, nil, "x")
+	got, err := BuildHeaderForwardTripper(t.Context(), base, nil, nil, "x")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Same(t, base, got, "nil cfg must pass base through untouched")
 }