diff --git a/test/boost/database_test.cc b/test/boost/database_test.cc
index b01cba14da..a75badce80 100644
--- a/test/boost/database_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/database_test.cc
@@ -219,10 +219,6 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_database_with_data_in_sstables_is_a_mutation_sourc
     test_database(run_mutation_source_tests_plain);
 }
 
-SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_database_with_data_in_sstables_is_a_mutation_source_downgrade) {
-    test_database(run_mutation_source_tests_downgrade);
-}
-
 SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_database_with_data_in_sstables_is_a_mutation_source_reverse) {
     test_database(run_mutation_source_tests_reverse);
 }
diff --git a/test/boost/multishard_combining_reader_as_mutation_source_test.cc b/test/boost/multishard_combining_reader_as_mutation_source_test.cc
index bb7b0d72d2..2172540359 100644
--- a/test/boost/multishard_combining_reader_as_mutation_source_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/multishard_combining_reader_as_mutation_source_test.cc
@@ -137,18 +137,6 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_multishard_combining_reader_with_tiny_buffer) {
     }).get();
 }
 
-SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_multishard_combining_reader_with_tiny_buffer_dowgrade) {
-    if (smp::count < 2) {
-        std::cerr << "Cannot run test " << get_name() << " with smp::count < 2" << std::endl;
-        return;
-    }
-
-    do_with_cql_env_thread([&] (cql_test_env& env) -> future<> {
-        run_mutation_source_tests_downgrade(make_populate(true, true), true);
-        return make_ready_future<>();
-    }).get();
-}
-
 SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_multishard_combining_reader_with_tiny_buffer_reverse) {
     if (smp::count < 2) {
         std::cerr << "Cannot run test " << get_name() << " with smp::count < 2" << std::endl;
diff --git a/test/lib/mutation_source_test.cc b/test/lib/mutation_source_test.cc
index d0fd91ed23..bc8cfb961f 100644
--- a/test/lib/mutation_source_test.cc
+++ b/test/lib/mutation_source_test.cc
@@ -1716,7 +1716,6 @@ void run_mutation_source_tests(populate_fn populate, bool with_partition_range_f
 
 void run_mutation_source_tests(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding) {
     run_mutation_source_tests_plain(populate, with_partition_range_forwarding);
-    run_mutation_source_tests_downgrade(populate, with_partition_range_forwarding);
     run_mutation_source_tests_reverse(populate, with_partition_range_forwarding);
     // Some tests call the sub-types individually, mind checking them
     // if adding new stuff here
@@ -1727,24 +1726,6 @@ void run_mutation_source_tests_plain(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partitio
     run_mutation_reader_tests(populate, with_partition_range_forwarding);
 }
 
-void run_mutation_source_tests_downgrade(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding) {
-    testlog.info(__PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
-    // ? -> v2 -> v1 -> *
-    run_mutation_reader_tests([populate] (schema_ptr s, const std::vector<mutation>& m, gc_clock::time_point t) -> mutation_source {
-        return mutation_source([ms = populate(s, m, t)] (schema_ptr s,
-                                              reader_permit permit,
-                                              const dht::partition_range& pr,
-                                              const query::partition_slice& slice,
-                                              const io_priority_class& pc,
-                                              tracing::trace_state_ptr tr,
-                                              streamed_mutation::forwarding fwd,
-                                              mutation_reader::forwarding mr_fwd) {
-            return downgrade_to_v1(
-                    ms.make_reader_v2(s, std::move(permit), pr, slice, pc, std::move(tr), fwd, mr_fwd));
-        });
-    }, with_partition_range_forwarding);
-}
-
 void run_mutation_source_tests_reverse(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding) {
     testlog.info(__PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
     // read in reverse
diff --git a/test/lib/mutation_source_test.hh b/test/lib/mutation_source_test.hh
index 091ed8385c..c397333aa0 100644
--- a/test/lib/mutation_source_test.hh
+++ b/test/lib/mutation_source_test.hh
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ using populate_fn_ex = std::function<mutation_source(schema_ptr s, const std::ve
 void run_mutation_source_tests(populate_fn populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding = true);
 void run_mutation_source_tests(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding = true);
 void run_mutation_source_tests_plain(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding = true);
-void run_mutation_source_tests_downgrade(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding = true);
 void run_mutation_source_tests_reverse(populate_fn_ex populate, bool with_partition_range_forwarding = true);
 
 enum are_equal { no, yes };