diff --git a/drivers/vfio/vfio.c b/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
index c488da5db7c7..6d18c3cafdd4 100644
--- a/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
+++ b/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
@@ -494,27 +494,6 @@ static int vfio_group_nb_add_dev(struct vfio_group *group, struct device *dev)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int vfio_group_nb_del_dev(struct vfio_group *group, struct device *dev)
-{
-	struct vfio_device *device;
-
-	/*
-	 * Expect to fall out here.  If a device was in use, it would
-	 * have been bound to a vfio sub-driver, which would have blocked
-	 * in .remove at vfio_del_group_dev.  Sanity check that we no
-	 * longer track the device, so it's safe to remove.
-	 */
-	device = vfio_group_get_device(group, dev);
-	if (likely(!device))
-		return 0;
-
-	WARN("Device %s removed from live group %d!\n", dev_name(dev),
-	     iommu_group_id(group->iommu_group));
-
-	vfio_device_put(device);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int vfio_group_nb_verify(struct vfio_group *group, struct device *dev)
 {
 	/* We don't care what happens when the group isn't in use */
@@ -545,7 +524,13 @@ static int vfio_iommu_group_notifier(struct notifier_block *nb,
 		vfio_group_nb_add_dev(group, dev);
 		break;
 	case IOMMU_GROUP_NOTIFY_DEL_DEVICE:
-		vfio_group_nb_del_dev(group, dev);
+		/*
+		 * Nothing to do here.  If the device is in use, then the
+		 * vfio sub-driver should block the remove callback until
+		 * it is unused.  If the device is unused or attached to a
+		 * stub driver, then it should be released and we don't
+		 * care that it will be going away.
+		 */
 		break;
 	case IOMMU_GROUP_NOTIFY_BIND_DRIVER:
 		pr_debug("%s: Device %s, group %d binding to driver\n",