diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java
index a5b6b1ce69c..d16425af1be 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/CoreContainer.java
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ public JerseyAppHandlerCache getJerseyAppHandlerCache() {
 
   protected MetricsHandler metricsHandler;
 
-  private volatile SolrClientCache solrClientCache;
+  // SolrClientCache is now stored in objectCache with key "solrClientCache"
 
   private volatile Map<String, SolrCache<?, ?>> caches;
 
@@ -704,12 +704,15 @@ public FileStore getFileStore() {
    * @see #getDefaultHttpSolrClient()
    * @see ZkController#getSolrClient()
    * @see Http2SolrClient#requestWithBaseUrl(String, String, SolrRequest)
-   * @deprecated likely to simply be moved to the ObjectCache so as to not be used
    */
-  @Deprecated
   public SolrClientCache getSolrClientCache() {
-    // TODO put in the objectCache instead
-    return solrClientCache;
+    return objectCache.computeIfAbsent(
+        "solrClientCache",
+        SolrClientCache.class,
+        k -> {
+          // Create a new SolrClientCache with the appropriate solrClientProvider
+          return new SolrClientCache(solrClientProvider.getSolrClient());
+        });
   }
 
   public ObjectCache getObjectCache() {
@@ -787,7 +790,8 @@ private void loadInternal() {
     solrClientProvider =
         new HttpSolrClientProvider(cfg.getUpdateShardHandlerConfig(), solrMetricsContext);
     updateShardHandler.initializeMetrics(solrMetricsContext, Attributes.empty());
-    solrClientCache = new SolrClientCache(solrClientProvider.getSolrClient());
+    // We don't pre-initialize SolrClientCache here anymore
+    // It will be created on-demand in getSolrClientCache() when first needed
 
     Map<String, CacheConfig> cachesConfig = cfg.getCachesConfig();
     if (cachesConfig.isEmpty()) {
@@ -814,7 +818,7 @@ private void loadInternal() {
 
     zkSys.initZooKeeper(this, cfg.getCloudConfig());
     if (isZooKeeperAware()) {
-      solrClientCache.setDefaultZKHost(getZkController().getZkServerAddress());
+      getSolrClientCache().setDefaultZKHost(getZkController().getZkServerAddress());
       // initialize ZkClient metrics
       zkSys
           .getZkMetricsProducer()
@@ -1234,9 +1238,8 @@ public void shutdown() {
       } catch (Exception e) {
         log.warn("Error shutting down CoreAdminHandler. Continuing to close CoreContainer.", e);
       }
-      if (solrClientCache != null) {
-        solrClientCache.close();
-      }
+      // SolrClientCache is stored in objectCache with key "solrClientCache"
+      // and will be closed when objectCache is closed
       if (containerPluginsRegistry != null) {
         IOUtils.closeQuietly(containerPluginsRegistry);
       }
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/filestore/DistribFileStore.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/filestore/DistribFileStore.java
index 94177f65180..ee296527d33 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/filestore/DistribFileStore.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/filestore/DistribFileStore.java
@@ -188,8 +188,10 @@ private boolean fetchFileFromNodeAndPersist(String fromNode) {
 
       try {
         final var metadataRequest = new FileStoreApi.GetFile(getMetaPath());
-        final var client = coreContainer.getSolrClientCache().getHttpSolrClient(baseUrl);
-        final var response = metadataRequest.process(client);
+        final var response =
+            coreContainer
+                .getDefaultHttpSolrClient()
+                .requestWithBaseUrl(baseUrl, client -> metadataRequest.process(client));
         try (final var responseStream = response.getResponseStreamIfSuccessful()) {
           metadata = Utils.newBytesConsumer((int) MAX_PKG_SIZE).accept(responseStream);
           m =
@@ -239,8 +241,10 @@ boolean fetchFromAnyNode() {
           String baseUrl =
               coreContainer.getZkController().getZkStateReader().getBaseUrlV2ForNodeName(liveNode);
           final var metadataRequest = new FileStoreApi.GetMetadata(path);
-          final var client = coreContainer.getSolrClientCache().getHttpSolrClient(baseUrl);
-          final var metadataResponse = metadataRequest.process(client);
+          final var metadataResponse =
+              coreContainer
+                  .getDefaultHttpSolrClient()
+                  .requestWithBaseUrl(baseUrl, client -> metadataRequest.process(client));
           boolean nodeHasBlob =
               metadataResponse.files != null && metadataResponse.files.containsKey(path);
 
@@ -397,9 +401,10 @@ private void distribute(FileInfo info) {
         try {
           final var pullFileRequest = new FileStoreApi.FetchFile(info.path);
           pullFileRequest.setGetFrom(nodeToFetchFrom);
-          final var client = coreContainer.getSolrClientCache().getHttpSolrClient(baseUrl);
           // fire and forget
-          pullFileRequest.process(client);
+          coreContainer
+              .getDefaultHttpSolrClient()
+              .requestWithBaseUrl(baseUrl, client -> pullFileRequest.process(client));
         } catch (Exception e) {
           log.info("Node: {} failed to respond for file fetch notification", node, e);
           // ignore the exception