diff --git a/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateContribTest.php b/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateContribTest.php
index db631fef4d..2d06e3d0d5 100644
--- a/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateContribTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateContribTest.php
@@ -797,7 +797,6 @@ public function testUnsupportedRelease() {
    */
   protected function assertCoreCompatibilityMessage($version, $expected_range, $expected_release_title, $is_compatible = TRUE) {
     $update_element = $this->findUpdateElementByLabel($expected_release_title);
-    $this->assertNotEmpty($update_element, 'The update element exists.');
     $this->assertTrue($update_element->hasLink($version));
     $compatibility_details = $update_element->find('css', '.project-update__compatibility-details details');
     $this->assertContains("Requires Drupal core: $expected_range", $compatibility_details->getText());
diff --git a/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateTestBase.php b/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateTestBase.php
index d7be77e9d7..5ca84d922b 100644
--- a/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/update/tests/src/Functional/UpdateTestBase.php
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ protected function assertSecurityUpdates($project_path_part, array $expected_sec
   protected function assertVersionUpdateLinks($label, $version, $download_version = NULL) {
     $download_version = $download_version ?? $version;
     $update_element = $this->findUpdateElementByLabel($label);
-    $this->assertNotEmpty($update_element, 'The update element exists.');
     // In the release notes URL the periods are replaced with dashes.
     $url_version = str_replace('.', '-', $version);
 
@@ -277,21 +276,17 @@ protected function assertUpdateTableElementContains($text) {
 
   /**
    * Finds an update page element by label.
-
+   *
    * @param string $label
    *   The label for the update, for example "Recommended version:" or
    *   "Latest version:".
    *
-   * @return \Behat\Mink\Element\NodeElement|null
-   *   The update element if found, otherwise NULL.
+   * @return \Behat\Mink\Element\NodeElement
+   *   The update element.
    */
   protected function findUpdateElementByLabel($label) {
-    $update_elements = $this->getSession()
-      ->getPage()
+    $update_elements = $this->getSession()->getPage()
       ->findAll('css', $this->updateTableLocator . " .project-update__version:contains(\"$label\")");
-    if (empty($update_elements)) {
-      return NULL;
-    }
     $this->assertCount(1, $update_elements);
     return $update_elements[0];
   }