diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java
index ced081ec0edf6..ae025ae2a8d26 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.index.engine.CommitStats;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.engine.Engine;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.seqno.RetentionLeaseActions;
-import org.elasticsearch.index.seqno.RetentionLeaseAlreadyExistsException;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.seqno.RetentionLeaseNotFoundException;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.seqno.SeqNoStats;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.shard.ShardId;
@@ -439,7 +438,6 @@ protected Scheduler.Cancellable scheduleBackgroundRetentionLeaseRenewal(final Lo
                                                      * going on. Log it, and renew again after another renew interval has passed.
                                                      */
                                                     final Throwable innerCause = ExceptionsHelper.unwrapCause(inner);
-                                                    assert innerCause instanceof RetentionLeaseAlreadyExistsException == false;
                                                     logRetentionLeaseFailure(retentionLeaseId, innerCause);
                                                 }));
                             } else {