diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/mirror_comment.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/mirror_comment.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index fbe4a9f3d0a..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/mirror_comment.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-final class MirrorComment
-{
-    public function run($value)
-    {
-        if ($value === 50) {
-            // some comment
-            $value = 100;
-        }
-
-        return $value;
-    }
-}
-
-?>
------
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-final class MirrorComment
-{
-    public function run($value)
-    {
-        if ($value === 50) {
-            // some comment
-            return 100;
-        }
-
-        return $value;
-    }
-}
-
-?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_global_var.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_global_var.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 6d06b51a06b..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_global_var.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-$value = 0;
-
-function run(int $value)
-{
-    global $value;
-
-    if ($value === 50) {
-        $value = 1;
-    }
-
-    return $value;
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_referenced_variable.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_referenced_variable.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index e3889637460..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_referenced_variable.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-final class SkipReferencedVariable
-{
-    public function run(&$value)
-    {
-        if ($value === 50) {
-            $value = 100;
-        }
-
-        return $value;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_static_var.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_static_var.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 3e8c5344842..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_static_var.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-use stdClass;
-
-function run()
-{
-    static $result = null;
-
-    if (! isset($result)) {
-        $result = new stdClass();
-    }
-
-    return $result;
-}
-
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_with_var_doc.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_with_var_doc.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index decc1e1c5ee..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/skip_with_var_doc.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-final class SkipWithVarDoc
-{
-    public function run(int $value): int|string
-    {
-        if ($value === 50) {
-            /** @var string $value */
-            $value = execute();
-        }
-
-        return $value;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/some_class.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/some_class.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 9c28ce6f1b3..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/Fixture/some_class.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-final class SomeClass
-{
-    public function run($value)
-    {
-        if ($value === 50) {
-            $value = 100;
-        }
-
-        return $value;
-    }
-}
-
-?>
------
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\Fixture;
-
-final class SomeClass
-{
-    public function run($value)
-    {
-        if ($value === 50) {
-            return 100;
-        }
-
-        return $value;
-    }
-}
-
-?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRectorTest.php b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRectorTest.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 62c775046b7..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRectorTest.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector;
-
-use Iterator;
-use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
-use Rector\Testing\PHPUnit\AbstractRectorTestCase;
-
-final class ReturnEarlyIfVariableRectorTest extends AbstractRectorTestCase
-{
-    #[DataProvider('provideData')]
-    public function test(string $filePath): void
-    {
-        $this->doTestFile($filePath);
-    }
-
-    public static function provideData(): Iterator
-    {
-        return self::yieldFilesFromDirectory(__DIR__ . '/Fixture');
-    }
-
-    public function provideConfigFilePath(): string
-    {
-        return __DIR__ . '/config/configured_rule.php';
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/config/configured_rule.php b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/config/configured_rule.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 7356bc030fe..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector/config/configured_rule.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
-use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector;
-
-return RectorConfig::configure()
-    ->withRules([ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector::class]);
diff --git a/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector.php b/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector.php
index ce52e6f2222..02970dd8649 100644
--- a/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector.php
+++ b/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/StmtsAwareInterface/ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector.php
@@ -5,33 +5,18 @@
 namespace Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface;
 
 use PhpParser\Node;
-use PhpParser\Node\Expr;
-use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Assign;
-use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Variable;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Else_;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Expression;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\If_;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Return_;
-use PHPStan\PhpDocParser\Ast\PhpDoc\VarTagValueNode;
-use Rector\BetterPhpDocParser\PhpDocInfo\PhpDocInfoFactory;
-use Rector\NodeAnalyzer\VariableAnalyzer;
+use Rector\Configuration\Deprecation\Contract\DeprecatedInterface;
+use Rector\Exception\ShouldNotHappenException;
 use Rector\PhpParser\Enum\NodeGroup;
 use Rector\Rector\AbstractRector;
 use Rector\RuleDoc\CodeSample\CodeSample;
 use Rector\RuleDoc\RuleDefinition;
 
 /**
- * @see \Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRectorTest
+ * @deprecated This rule is deprecated, as too niche and can reduce readability by moving a value out of its logical place, while blocking a later refactoring to match.
  */
-final class ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector extends AbstractRector
+final class ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector extends AbstractRector implements DeprecatedInterface
 {
-    public function __construct(
-        private readonly VariableAnalyzer $variableAnalyzer,
-        private readonly PhpDocInfoFactory $phpDocInfoFactory
-    ) {
-    }
-
     public function getRuleDefinition(): RuleDefinition
     {
         return new RuleDefinition('Replace if conditioned variable override with direct return', [
@@ -76,101 +61,11 @@ public function getNodeTypes(): array
         return NodeGroup::STMTS_AWARE;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @param StmtsAware $node
-     */
     public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
     {
-        $stmts = (array) $node->stmts;
-
-        foreach ($stmts as $key => $stmt) {
-            $returnVariable = $this->matchNextStmtReturnVariable($node, $key);
-            if (! $returnVariable instanceof Variable) {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            if ($stmt instanceof If_ && ! $stmt->else instanceof Else_ && $stmt->elseifs === []) {
-                // is single condition if
-                $if = $stmt;
-                if (count($if->stmts) !== 1) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                $onlyIfStmt = $if->stmts[0];
-                $assignedExpr = $this->matchOnlyIfStmtReturnExpr($onlyIfStmt, $returnVariable);
-                if (! $assignedExpr instanceof Expr) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                $if->stmts[0] = new Return_($assignedExpr);
-                $this->mirrorComments($if->stmts[0], $onlyIfStmt);
-
-                return $node;
-            }
-        }
-
-        return null;
-    }
-
-    private function matchOnlyIfStmtReturnExpr(Stmt $onlyIfStmt, Variable $returnVariable): Expr|null
-    {
-        if (! $onlyIfStmt instanceof Expression) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if (! $onlyIfStmt->expr instanceof Assign) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        $assign = $onlyIfStmt->expr;
-
-        // assign to same variable that is returned
-        if (! $assign->var instanceof Variable) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if ($this->variableAnalyzer->isStaticOrGlobal($assign->var)) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if ($this->variableAnalyzer->isUsedByReference($assign->var)) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if (! $this->nodeComparator->areNodesEqual($assign->var, $returnVariable)) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        $phpDocInfo = $this->phpDocInfoFactory->createFromNodeOrEmpty($onlyIfStmt);
-        if ($phpDocInfo->getVarTagValueNode() instanceof VarTagValueNode) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        // return directly
-        return $assign->expr;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @param StmtsAware $stmtsAware
-     */
-    private function matchNextStmtReturnVariable(Node $stmtsAware, int $key): Variable|null
-    {
-        $nextStmt = $stmtsAware->stmts[$key + 1] ?? null;
-
-        // last item → stop
-        if (! $nextStmt instanceof Stmt) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if (! $nextStmt instanceof Return_) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        // next return must be variable
-        if (! $nextStmt->expr instanceof Variable) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        return $nextStmt->expr;
+        throw new ShouldNotHappenException(sprintf(
+            '"%s" rule is deprecated, as too niche and can reduce readability',
+            self::class
+        ));
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php b/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php
index 56f7b7c01a0..e6368998a57 100644
--- a/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php
+++ b/src/Config/Level/CodeQualityLevel.php
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@
 use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\If_\ChangeIfElseValueAssignToEarlyReturnRector;
 use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\If_\RemoveAlwaysElseRector;
 use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\Return_\PreparedValueToEarlyReturnRector;
-use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector;
 use Rector\Instanceof_\Rector\Ternary\FlipNegatedTernaryInstanceofRector;
 use Rector\Php52\Rector\Property\VarToPublicPropertyRector;
 use Rector\Php71\Rector\FuncCall\RemoveExtraParametersRector;
@@ -148,7 +147,6 @@ final class CodeQualityLevel
         RemoveAlwaysElseRector::class,
         ChangeIfElseValueAssignToEarlyReturnRector::class,
         PreparedValueToEarlyReturnRector::class,
-        ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector::class,
         InlineIsAInstanceOfRector::class,
         FlipNegatedTernaryInstanceofRector::class,
         InlineConstructorDefaultToPropertyRector::class,
diff --git a/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/Fixture/fixture.php.inc b/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/Fixture/fixture.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index eda3489ffc1..00000000000
--- a/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/Fixture/fixture.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\Issues\IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable\Fixture;
-
-final class Fixture
-{
-    public function get($a, $b = false)
-    {
-        if ($b !== true) {
-            $value = $a * 5;
-
-            if ($value === 'hello') {
-                $value = false;
-            }
-
-            return $value;
-        } elseif ($a === true) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return true;
-    }
-}
-
-?>
------
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\Issues\IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable\Fixture;
-
-final class Fixture
-{
-    public function get($a, $b = false)
-    {
-        if ($b !== true) {
-            $value = $a * 5;
-            if ($value === 'hello') {
-                return false;
-            }
-            return $value;
-        }
-        if ($a === true) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return true;
-    }
-}
-
-?>
diff --git a/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariableTest.php b/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariableTest.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 77cb43a0d73..00000000000
--- a/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariableTest.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\Issues\IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable;
-
-use Iterator;
-use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
-use Rector\Testing\PHPUnit\AbstractRectorTestCase;
-
-final class IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariableTest extends AbstractRectorTestCase
-{
-    #[DataProvider('provideData')]
-    public function test(string $filePath): void
-    {
-        $this->doTestFile($filePath);
-    }
-
-    public static function provideData(): Iterator
-    {
-        return self::yieldFilesFromDirectory(__DIR__ . '/Fixture');
-    }
-
-    public function provideConfigFilePath(): string
-    {
-        return __DIR__ . '/config/configured_rule.php';
-    }
-}
diff --git a/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/config/configured_rule.php b/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/config/configured_rule.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a2bcf62ef8..00000000000
--- a/tests/Issues/IssueRemoveAlwaysElseReturnEarlyIfVariable/config/configured_rule.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
-use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\If_\RemoveAlwaysElseRector;
-use Rector\EarlyReturn\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector;
-
-return RectorConfig::configure()
-    ->withRules([RemoveAlwaysElseRector::class, ReturnEarlyIfVariableRector::class]);