diff --git a/cmd/thanos/receive.go b/cmd/thanos/receive.go
index 42b5589b85b..ef37bf7d8ef 100644
--- a/cmd/thanos/receive.go
+++ b/cmd/thanos/receive.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path"
@@ -314,25 +313,13 @@ func runReceive(
 			httpserver.WithGracePeriod(time.Duration(*conf.httpGracePeriod)),
 			httpserver.WithTLSConfig(*conf.httpTLSConfig),
 		)
-		var lastDownscalePrepareTimestamp int64 = 0
 		srv.Handle("/-/downscale", http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			n := dbs.GetTenantsLen()
 			w.Header().Set("Tenant-Count", strconv.Itoa(n))
-			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
-			if r.Method == http.MethodDelete {
-				return
-			}
-			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-			if lastDownscalePrepareTimestamp == 0 || n > 0 {
-				lastDownscalePrepareTimestamp = time.Now().Unix()
-			}
-			err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(struct {
-				Timestamp int64 `json:"timestamp"`
-			}{
-				Timestamp: lastDownscalePrepareTimestamp,
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				level.Error(logger).Log("msg", "error writing downscale response", "err", err)
+			if n > 0 {
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusTooEarly)
+			} else {
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
 			}
 		}))
 		g.Add(func() error {