diff --git a/plugins/repository-s3/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/repositories/s3/S3BlobStore.java b/plugins/repository-s3/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/repositories/s3/S3BlobStore.java
index 94f4b1d2b53..4e72a0229db 100644
--- a/plugins/repository-s3/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/repositories/s3/S3BlobStore.java
+++ b/plugins/repository-s3/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/repositories/s3/S3BlobStore.java
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch.repositories.s3;
 
-import com.amazonaws.AmazonClientException;
 import com.amazonaws.services.s3.AmazonS3;
-import com.amazonaws.services.s3.model.AmazonS3Exception;
 import com.amazonaws.services.s3.model.CannedAccessControlList;
 import com.amazonaws.services.s3.model.DeleteObjectsRequest;
 import com.amazonaws.services.s3.model.DeleteObjectsRequest.KeyVersion;
@@ -145,16 +143,6 @@ class S3BlobStore extends AbstractComponent implements BlobStore {
         });
     }
 
-    protected boolean shouldRetry(AmazonClientException e) {
-        if (e instanceof AmazonS3Exception) {
-            AmazonS3Exception s3e = (AmazonS3Exception) e;
-            if (s3e.getStatusCode() == 400 && "RequestTimeout".equals(s3e.getErrorCode())) {
-                return true;
-            }
-        }
-        return e.isRetryable();
-    }
-
     @Override
     public void close() {
     }