diff --git a/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/system.rs b/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/system.rs
index af35339dede..61a88668399 100644
--- a/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/system.rs
+++ b/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/src/system.rs
@@ -869,33 +869,6 @@ impl SystemDescription {
     pub fn set_target_release(
         &mut self,
         description: TargetReleaseDescription,
-    ) -> &mut Self {
-        // Create a new TufRepoPolicy by bumping the generation.
-        let new_repo = TufRepoPolicy {
-            target_release_generation: self
-                .tuf_repo
-                .target_release_generation
-                .next(),
-            description,
-        };
-
-        let _old_repo = self.set_tuf_repo_inner(new_repo);
-
-        // It's tempting to consider setting old_repo to the current tuf_repo,
-        // but that requires the invariant that old_repo is always the current
-        // target release and that an update isn't currently in progress. See
-        // https://github.com/oxidecomputer/omicron/issues/8056 for some
-        // discussion.
-        //
-        // We provide a method to set the old repo explicitly with these
-        // assumptions in mind: `set_target_release_and_old_repo`.
-
-        self
-    }
-
-    pub fn set_target_release_and_old_repo(
-        &mut self,
-        description: TargetReleaseDescription,
     ) -> &mut Self {
         let new_repo = TufRepoPolicy {
             target_release_generation: self
diff --git a/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/tests/integration_tests/planner.rs b/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/tests/integration_tests/planner.rs
index e3c4006a1b8..366e220c04f 100644
--- a/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/tests/integration_tests/planner.rs
+++ b/nexus/reconfigurator/planning/tests/integration_tests/planner.rs
@@ -3158,7 +3158,7 @@ fn test_update_crucible_pantry_before_nexus() {
         artifacts,
     });
     sim.change_description("set new target release", |desc| {
-        desc.set_target_release_and_old_repo(description);
+        desc.set_target_release(description);
         Ok(())
     })
     .unwrap();
@@ -3530,7 +3530,7 @@ fn test_update_cockroach() {
         artifacts,
     });
     sim.change_description("set new target release", |desc| {
-        desc.set_target_release_and_old_repo(description);
+        desc.set_target_release(description);
         Ok(())
     })
     .unwrap();
@@ -3900,7 +3900,7 @@ fn test_update_boundary_ntp() {
         artifacts,
     });
     sim.change_description("set new target release", |desc| {
-        desc.set_target_release_and_old_repo(description);
+        desc.set_target_release(description);
         Ok(())
     })
     .unwrap();
@@ -4290,7 +4290,7 @@ fn test_update_internal_dns() {
         artifacts,
     });
     sim.change_description("set new target release", |desc| {
-        desc.set_target_release_and_old_repo(description);
+        desc.set_target_release(description);
         Ok(())
     })
     .unwrap();
@@ -4539,7 +4539,7 @@ fn test_update_all_zones() {
     });
 
     sim.change_description("set new target release", |desc| {
-        desc.set_target_release_and_old_repo(description);
+        desc.set_target_release(description);
         Ok(())
     })
     .unwrap();