diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index b48e85017ff..18bf641a6a8 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ grpc_deps()
 
 grpc_test_only_deps()
 
+load("//bazel:grpc_extra_deps.bzl", "grpc_extra_deps")
+
+grpc_extra_deps()
+
 register_execution_platforms(
     "//third_party/toolchains:local",
     "//third_party/toolchains:local_large",
@@ -50,23 +54,3 @@ load("@io_bazel_rules_python//python:pip.bzl", "pip_repositories")
 load("@grpc_python_dependencies//:requirements.bzl", "pip_install")
 pip_repositories()
 pip_install()
-
-load("@com_google_protobuf//:protobuf_deps.bzl", "protobuf_deps")
-protobuf_deps()
-
-load("@upb//bazel:workspace_deps.bzl", "upb_deps")
-upb_deps()
-
-load("@envoy_api//bazel:repositories.bzl", "api_dependencies")
-api_dependencies()
-
-load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:deps.bzl", "go_rules_dependencies", "go_register_toolchains")
-go_rules_dependencies()
-go_register_toolchains()
-
-
-load("@build_bazel_rules_apple//apple:repositories.bzl", "apple_rules_dependencies")
-apple_rules_dependencies()
-
-load("@build_bazel_apple_support//lib:repositories.bzl", "apple_support_dependencies")
-apple_support_dependencies()
diff --git a/bazel/grpc_deps.bzl b/bazel/grpc_deps.bzl
index fcc8077c035..69f341ffa9e 100644
--- a/bazel/grpc_deps.bzl
+++ b/bazel/grpc_deps.bzl
@@ -229,8 +229,16 @@ def grpc_deps():
             sha256 = "bdc8e66e70b8a75da23b79f1f8c6207356df07d041d96d2189add7ee0780cf4e",
         )
 
-    grpc_python_deps()
+    if "build_bazel_apple_support" not in native.existing_rules():
+        http_archive(
+            name = "build_bazel_apple_support",
+            urls = [
+                "https://github.com/bazelbuild/apple_support/releases/download/0.7.1/apple_support.0.7.1.tar.gz",
+            ],
+            sha256 = "122ebf7fe7d1c8e938af6aeaee0efe788a3a2449ece5a8d6a428cb18d6f88033",
+        )
 
+    grpc_python_deps()
 
 # TODO: move some dependencies from "grpc_deps" here?
 def grpc_test_only_deps():
diff --git a/bazel/grpc_extra_deps.bzl b/bazel/grpc_extra_deps.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4c1dfad2e86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bazel/grpc_extra_deps.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""Loads the dependencies necessary for the external repositories defined in grpc_deps.bzl."""
+
+load("@com_google_protobuf//:protobuf_deps.bzl", "protobuf_deps")
+load("@upb//bazel:workspace_deps.bzl", "upb_deps")
+load("@envoy_api//bazel:repositories.bzl", "api_dependencies")
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:deps.bzl", "go_register_toolchains", "go_rules_dependencies")
+load("@build_bazel_rules_apple//apple:repositories.bzl", "apple_rules_dependencies")
+load("@build_bazel_apple_support//lib:repositories.bzl", "apple_support_dependencies")
+
+def grpc_extra_deps():
+    """Loads the extra dependencies.
+
+    These are necessary for using the external repositories defined in
+    grpc_deps.bzl. Projects that depend on gRPC as an external repository need
+    to call both grpc_deps and grpc_extra_deps, if they have not already loaded
+    the extra dependencies. For example, they can do the following in their
+    WORKSPACE
+    ```
+    load("@com_github_grpc_grpc//bazel:grpc_deps.bzl", "grpc_deps", "grpc_test_only_deps")
+    grpc_deps()
+
+    grpc_test_only_deps()
+
+    load("@com_github_grpc_grpc//bazel:grpc_extra_deps.bzl", "grpc_extra_deps")
+
+    grpc_extra_deps()
+    ```
+    """
+    protobuf_deps()
+
+    upb_deps()
+
+    api_dependencies()
+
+    go_rules_dependencies()
+    go_register_toolchains()
+
+    apple_rules_dependencies()
+
+    apple_support_dependencies()