diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayer.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayer.java
index b35f617048..f845ece3c7 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayer.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayer.java
@@ -486,10 +486,8 @@ public interface ExoPlayer extends Player {
    * Removes the media item at the given index of the playlist.
    *
    * @param index The index at which to remove the media item.
-   * @return The removed {@link MediaSource} or null if no item exists at the given index.
    */
-  @Nullable
-  MediaSource removeMediaItem(int index);
+  void removeMediaItem(int index);
 
   /**
    * Removes a range of media items from the playlist.
diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayerImpl.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayerImpl.java
index 97ba989c34..0f3e1d98ab 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayerImpl.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ExoPlayerImpl.java
@@ -368,10 +368,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
   }
 
   @Override
-  public MediaSource removeMediaItem(int index) {
-    List<Playlist.MediaSourceHolder> mediaSourceHolders =
-        removeMediaItemsInternal(/* fromIndex= */ index, /* toIndex= */ index + 1);
-    return mediaSourceHolders.isEmpty() ? null : mediaSourceHolders.get(0).mediaSource;
+  public void removeMediaItem(int index) {
+    removeMediaItemsInternal(/* fromIndex= */ index, /* toIndex= */ index + 1);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -956,7 +954,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
     return holders;
   }
 
-  private List<Playlist.MediaSourceHolder> removeMediaItemsInternal(int fromIndex, int toIndex) {
+  private void removeMediaItemsInternal(int fromIndex, int toIndex) {
     Assertions.checkArgument(
         fromIndex >= 0 && toIndex >= fromIndex && toIndex <= mediaSourceHolders.size());
     int currentWindowIndex = getCurrentWindowIndex();
@@ -965,8 +963,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
     Timeline oldTimeline = getCurrentTimeline();
     int currentMediaSourceCount = mediaSourceHolders.size();
     pendingOperationAcks++;
-    List<Playlist.MediaSourceHolder> removedHolders =
-        removeMediaSourceHolders(fromIndex, /* toIndexExclusive= */ toIndex);
+    removeMediaSourceHolders(fromIndex, /* toIndexExclusive= */ toIndex);
     Timeline timeline =
         maskTimelineAndWindowIndex(currentWindowIndex, currentPositionMs, oldTimeline);
     // Player transitions to STATE_ENDED if the current index is part of the removed tail.
@@ -987,7 +984,6 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
             listener.onPlayerStateChanged(currentPlayWhenReady, STATE_ENDED);
           }
         });
-    return removedHolders;
   }
 
   private List<Playlist.MediaSourceHolder> removeMediaSourceHolders(
diff --git a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java
index a3dd3018ed..709d8d9aab 100644
--- a/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java
+++ b/library/core/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/SimpleExoPlayer.java
@@ -1290,9 +1290,9 @@ public class SimpleExoPlayer extends BasePlayer
   }
 
   @Override
-  public MediaSource removeMediaItem(int index) {
+  public void removeMediaItem(int index) {
     verifyApplicationThread();
-    return player.removeMediaItem(index);
+    player.removeMediaItem(index);
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/testutils/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/testutil/StubExoPlayer.java b/testutils/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/testutil/StubExoPlayer.java
index b1851106dc..62666eac09 100644
--- a/testutils/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/testutil/StubExoPlayer.java
+++ b/testutils/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/testutil/StubExoPlayer.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public abstract class StubExoPlayer extends BasePlayer implements ExoPlayer {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public MediaSource removeMediaItem(int index) {
+  public void removeMediaItem(int index) {
     throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
   }