diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/bulk/TransportBulkAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/bulk/TransportBulkAction.java
index f93b898fa571d..169ea5e41d307 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/bulk/TransportBulkAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/bulk/TransportBulkAction.java
@@ -743,12 +743,6 @@ private void executeBulkRequestsByShard(Map<ShardId, List<BulkItemRequest>> requ
         }
 
         private void executeBulkShardRequest(BulkShardRequest bulkShardRequest, Releasable releaseOnFinish) {
-            if (bulkShardRequest.items().length == 0) {
-                // No requests to execute due to previous errors, terminate early
-                releaseOnFinish.close();
-                return;
-            }
-
             client.executeLocally(TransportShardBulkAction.TYPE, bulkShardRequest, new ActionListener<>() {
                 @Override
                 public void onResponse(BulkShardResponse bulkShardResponse) {