diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/IndexLifecycleService.java b/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/IndexLifecycleService.java
index ef74c3a3a65..2e44a56fbeb 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/IndexLifecycleService.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/IndexLifecycleService.java
@@ -150,8 +150,7 @@ public class IndexLifecycleService extends AbstractComponent
                         // returns current step to execute. If settings are null, then the first step to be executed in
                         // this policy is returned.
                         Step currentStep = policyRegistry.getStep(policyName, phase, action, stepName);
-                        ClusterState newClusterState = executeStepUntilAsync(currentStep, clusterState, client, nowSupplier, idxMeta.getIndex());
-                        return currentState;
+                        return executeStepUntilAsync(currentStep, clusterState, client, nowSupplier, idxMeta.getIndex());
                     }
 
                     @Override
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/PolicyStepsRegistry.java b/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/PolicyStepsRegistry.java
index b943b86984b..38fd42d5397 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/PolicyStepsRegistry.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/index-lifecycle/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/indexlifecycle/PolicyStepsRegistry.java
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ public class PolicyStepsRegistry {
         }
     }
 
-    public Lifecycle
-
     /**
      * returns the {@link Step} that matches the name and
      * policy specified. This is used by {@link ClusterState}