diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotsService.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotsService.java
index 9e0010215e0..d2f568f4653 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotsService.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/snapshots/SnapshotsService.java
@@ -558,7 +558,6 @@ public class SnapshotsService extends AbstractLifecycleComponent implements Clus
 
             @Override
             public TimeValue timeout() {
-                initializingClones.remove(snapshot);
                 return request.masterNodeTimeout();
             }
         }, "clone_snapshot [" + request.source() + "][" + snapshotName + ']', listener::onFailure);