diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 `tmp-proc` uses [PVP Versioning][1].
 
+## 0.5.2.1 -- 2023-07-17
+
+* Avoid non-building dependencies in the testable README
+
 ## 0.5.2.0 -- 2023-07-12
 
 * Bump minimum required version of warp-tls
diff --git a/README.lhs b/README.lhs
--- a/README.lhs
+++ b/README.lhs
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@
 import           Data.Proxy            (Proxy (..))
 import           Data.Text             (Text)
 import qualified Data.Text             as Text
-import           Network.HTTP.Req
-
+import qualified Network.HTTP.Client as HC
+import Network.HTTP.Types.Status (statusCode)
 import           System.TmpProc        (HList (..), HandlesOf, HostIpAddress,
                                         Pinged (..), Proc (..), ProcHandle (..),
                                         SvcURI, manyNamed, startupAll, toPinged,
@@ -89,16 +89,17 @@
 ```haskell
 
 pingImpl :: ProcHandle a -> IO Pinged
-pingImpl handle = toPinged @HttpException Proxy $ do
-  gotStatus <- runReq defaultHttpConfig $ do
-    r <- req GET (handleUrl handle "/status/200") NoReqBody ignoreResponse $ mempty
-    pure $ responseStatusCode r
-  if (gotStatus == 200) then pure OK else pure NotOK
+pingImpl handle = toPinged @HC.HttpException Proxy $ do
+  gotStatus <- handleGet handle "/status/200"
+  if gotStatus == 200 then pure OK else pure NotOK
 
 
-handleUrl :: ProcHandle a -> Text -> Url 'Http
-handleUrl handle urlPath = foldl' (/:) (http $ hAddr handle)
-  $ Text.splitOn "/" $ Text.dropWhile (== '/') urlPath
+handleGet :: ProcHandle a -> Text -> IO Int
+handleGet handle urlPath = do
+  let theUri = "http://" <> hAddr handle <> "/" <> Text.dropWhile (== '/') urlPath
+  manager <- HC.newManager HC.defaultManagerSettings
+  getReq <- HC.parseRequest $ Text.unpack theUri
+  statusCode . HC.responseStatus <$> HC.httpLbs getReq manager
 
 
 ```
diff --git a/tmp-proc.cabal b/tmp-proc.cabal
--- a/tmp-proc.cabal
+++ b/tmp-proc.cabal
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cabal-version:      3.0
 name:               tmp-proc
-version:            0.5.2.0
+version:            0.5.2.1
 synopsis:           Run 'tmp' processes in integration tests
 description:
   @tmp-proc@ runs services in docker containers for use in integration tests.
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@
     , hspec
     , http-client
     , http-types
-    , req
     , text
     , tmp-proc
     , wai
@@ -140,15 +139,8 @@
   build-depends:
     , base
     , bytestring
-    , connection
-    , data-default
     , hspec
     , http-client
-    , http-client-tls
     , http-types
-    , req
     , text
     , tmp-proc
-    , wai
-    , warp
-    , warp-tls