diff --git a/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/context.rs b/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/context.rs
index e68d71313..035b9cb25 100644
--- a/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/context.rs
+++ b/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/context.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use ibc::apps::transfer::handler::send_transfer;
 use ibc::apps::transfer::types::msgs::transfer::MsgTransfer;
 use ibc::apps::transfer::types::packet::PacketData;
 use ibc::core::channel::types::packet::Packet;
@@ -465,6 +464,9 @@ where
     }
 
     /// Submit a packet via [`DummyTransferModule`] on the first context.
+    ///
+    /// Requires `serde` feature because of [`ibc::apps::transfer::handler::send_transfer`].
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
     pub fn send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(
         &mut self,
         chan_id_on_a: ChannelId,
@@ -491,7 +493,7 @@ where
         };
 
         // module creates the send_packet
-        send_transfer(
+        ibc::apps::transfer::handler::send_transfer(
             self.get_ctx_a_mut().ibc_store_mut(),
             &mut DummyTransferModule,
             msg,
diff --git a/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/integration.rs b/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/integration.rs
index fb831b498..9993cc7f3 100644
--- a/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/integration.rs
+++ b/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/integration.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ use crate::relayer::context::RelayerContext;
 use crate::testapp::ibc::core::types::DefaultIbcStore;
 
 /// Integration test for IBC implementation. This test creates clients,
-/// connections, channels, and sends packets between two [`TestHost`]s. This uses
+/// connections, channels between two [`TestHost`]s.
+///
+/// If `serde` feature is enabled, this also exercises packet relay between [`TestHost`]s. This uses
 /// [`DummyTransferModule`](crate::testapp::ibc::applications::transfer::types::DummyTransferModule)
 /// to simulate the transfer of tokens between two contexts.
 pub fn ibc_integration_test<A, B>()
@@ -83,71 +85,80 @@ where
     assert_eq!(chan_id_on_a, ChannelId::new(1));
     assert_eq!(chan_id_on_b, ChannelId::new(1));
 
-    // ------------------------
-    // send packet from A to B
-    // ------------------------
-
-    let packet =
-        relayer.send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(chan_id_on_a.clone(), signer.clone());
-
-    // continue packet relay starting from recv_packet at B
-    relayer.send_packet_on_a(packet, signer.clone());
-
-    // retrieve the ack_packet event
-    let Some(IbcEvent::AcknowledgePacket(_)) = relayer
-        .get_ctx_a()
-        .ibc_store()
-        .events
-        .lock()
-        .last()
-        .cloned()
-    else {
-        panic!("unexpected event")
-    };
-
-    // --------------------------
-    // timeout packet from A to B
-    // --------------------------
-
-    let packet =
-        relayer.send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(chan_id_on_a.clone(), signer.clone());
-
-    // timeout the packet on A; never relay the packet to B
-    relayer.timeout_packet_on_a(packet.clone(), signer.clone());
-
-    // retrieve the timeout_packet event
-    let Some(IbcEvent::TimeoutPacket(_)) = relayer
-        .get_ctx_a()
-        .ibc_store()
-        .events
-        .lock()
-        .last()
-        .cloned()
-    else {
-        panic!("unexpected event")
-    };
-
-    // ------------------------------------------------
-    // timeout packet from A to B; using closed channel
-    // ------------------------------------------------
-
-    let packet =
-        relayer.send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(chan_id_on_a.clone(), signer.clone());
-
-    // timeout the packet on A; never relay the packet to B
-    relayer.timeout_packet_on_channel_close_on_a(packet.clone(), signer.clone());
-
-    // retrieve the timeout_packet event
-    let Some(IbcEvent::TimeoutPacket(_)) = relayer
-        .get_ctx_a()
-        .ibc_store()
-        .events
-        .lock()
-        .last()
-        .cloned()
-    else {
-        panic!("unexpected event")
-    };
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+    {
+        {
+            // ------------------------
+            // send packet from A to B
+            // ------------------------
+
+            let packet = relayer
+                .send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(chan_id_on_a.clone(), signer.clone());
+
+            // continue packet relay starting from recv_packet at B
+            relayer.send_packet_on_a(packet, signer.clone());
+
+            // retrieve the ack_packet event
+            let Some(IbcEvent::AcknowledgePacket(_)) = relayer
+                .get_ctx_a()
+                .ibc_store()
+                .events
+                .lock()
+                .last()
+                .cloned()
+            else {
+                panic!("unexpected event")
+            };
+        }
+
+        {
+            // --------------------------
+            // timeout packet from A to B
+            // --------------------------
+
+            let packet = relayer
+                .send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(chan_id_on_a.clone(), signer.clone());
+
+            // timeout the packet on A; never relay the packet to B
+            relayer.timeout_packet_on_a(packet.clone(), signer.clone());
+
+            // retrieve the timeout_packet event
+            let Some(IbcEvent::TimeoutPacket(_)) = relayer
+                .get_ctx_a()
+                .ibc_store()
+                .events
+                .lock()
+                .last()
+                .cloned()
+            else {
+                panic!("unexpected event")
+            };
+        }
+
+        {
+            // ------------------------------------------------
+            // timeout packet from A to B; using closed channel
+            // ------------------------------------------------
+
+            let packet = relayer
+                .send_packet_via_dummy_transfer_module_on_a(chan_id_on_a.clone(), signer.clone());
+
+            // timeout the packet on A; never relay the packet to B
+            relayer.timeout_packet_on_channel_close_on_a(packet.clone(), signer.clone());
+
+            // retrieve the timeout_packet event
+            let Some(IbcEvent::TimeoutPacket(_)) = relayer
+                .get_ctx_a()
+                .ibc_store()
+                .events
+                .lock()
+                .last()
+                .cloned()
+            else {
+                panic!("unexpected event")
+            };
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/mod.rs b/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/mod.rs
index 5c70430ef..961de7885 100644
--- a/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/mod.rs
+++ b/ibc-testkit/src/relayer/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
 pub mod context;
 pub mod error;
-pub mod utils;
-
-// `ibc::apps::transfer::handler::send_transfer` requires `serde`
-#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 pub mod integration;
+pub mod utils;