diff --git a/omgapi/pom.xml b/omgapi/pom.xml
index c1b4db572d..add66a5ed5 100644
--- a/omgapi/pom.xml
+++ b/omgapi/pom.xml
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.felix</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-bundle-plugin</artifactId>
+                <configuration>
+                    <instructions>
+                        <!-- Explicitly mark java.applet as optional because it's not supported on Java 26, 
+                        then append everything else (*) Bnd finds -->
+                        <Import-Package>java.applet;resolution:=optional,*</Import-Package>
+                    </instructions>
+                </configuration>
             </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
diff --git a/orbmain/pom.xml b/orbmain/pom.xml
index 3a21b393e3..a2d2a9e7c2 100644
--- a/orbmain/pom.xml
+++ b/orbmain/pom.xml
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@
                 <artifactId>maven-bundle-plugin</artifactId>
                 <configuration>
                     <instructions>
+                        <!-- Explicitly mark java.applet as optional because it's not supported on Java 26, 
+                        then append everything else (*) Bnd finds -->
+                        <Import-Package>java.applet;resolution:=optional,*</Import-Package>
                         <Export-Package>
                             com.sun.corba.ee.spi.*,
                             com.sun.corba.ee.impl.corba,