diff --git a/source/common/upstream/health_checker_impl.h b/source/common/upstream/health_checker_impl.h
index c16a4393df24..33cdff1beef1 100644
--- a/source/common/upstream/health_checker_impl.h
+++ b/source/common/upstream/health_checker_impl.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "envoy/access_log/access_log.h"
+#include "envoy/api/api.h"
 #include "envoy/api/v2/core/health_check.pb.h"
 #include "envoy/grpc/status.h"
 
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@
 #include "common/stream_info/stream_info_impl.h"
 #include "common/upstream/health_checker_base_impl.h"
 
-#include "include/envoy/api/_virtual_includes/api_interface/envoy/api/api.h"
 #include "src/proto/grpc/health/v1/health.pb.h"
 
 namespace Envoy {
diff --git a/tools/check_format.py b/tools/check_format.py
index ed3b36974963..21bf410ae5fd 100755
--- a/tools/check_format.py
+++ b/tools/check_format.py
@@ -500,6 +500,9 @@ def checkSourceLine(line, file_path, reportError):
     if invalid_construct in line:
       reportError("term %s should be replaced with standard library term %s" %
                   (invalid_construct, valid_construct))
+  # Do not include the virtual_includes headers.
+  if re.search("#include.*/_virtual_includes/", line):
+    reportError("Don't include the virtual includes headers.")
 
   # Some errors cannot be fixed automatically, and actionable, consistent,
   # navigable messages should be emitted to make it easy to find and fix