diff --git a/server/etcdserver/server.go b/server/etcdserver/server.go
index ac9e00d9b605..0600a31b8960 100644
--- a/server/etcdserver/server.go
+++ b/server/etcdserver/server.go
@@ -1210,10 +1210,7 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) triggerSnapshot(ep *etcdProgress) {
 }
 
 func (s *EtcdServer) shouldSnapshot(ep *etcdProgress) bool {
-	return (s.forceSnapshot && ep.appliedi != ep.snapi) ||
-		(ep.appliedi-ep.snapi > s.Cfg.SnapshotCount) ||
-		// ensures a non-empty snapshot always exists
-		(ep.snapi == 0 && ep.appliedi > ep.snapi)
+	return (s.forceSnapshot && ep.appliedi != ep.snapi) || (ep.appliedi-ep.snapi > s.Cfg.SnapshotCount)
 }
 
 func (s *EtcdServer) hasMultipleVotingMembers() bool {
diff --git a/tests/integration/raft_log_snapshot_test.go b/tests/integration/raft_log_snapshot_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index d048dee277d8..000000000000
--- a/tests/integration/raft_log_snapshot_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2024 The etcd Authors
-//
-// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-// You may obtain a copy of the License at
-//
-//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-//
-// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-// limitations under the License.
-
-package integration
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	pb "go.etcd.io/etcd/api/v3/etcdserverpb"
-	"go.etcd.io/etcd/tests/v3/framework/integration"
-)
-
-// TestRaftLogSnapshotExistsPostStartUp ensures a non-empty raft log snapshot exists after startup
-func TestRaftLogSnapshotExistsPostStartUp(t *testing.T) {
-	integration.BeforeTest(t)
-
-	clus := integration.NewCluster(t, &integration.ClusterConfig{
-		Size:                   1,
-		SnapshotCount:          100,
-		SnapshotCatchUpEntries: 10,
-	})
-	defer clus.Terminate(t)
-
-	m := clus.Members[0]
-
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), 5*time.Second)
-	defer cancel()
-
-	_, err := m.LogObserver.Expect(ctx, "saved snapshot", 1)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("failed to expect (log:%s, count:%v): %v", "saved snapshot", 1, err)
-	}
-
-	kvc := integration.ToGRPC(clus.RandClient()).KV
-
-	// In order to trigger another snapshot, we should increase applied index from 1 to 102.
-	//
-	// NOTE: When starting a new cluster with 1 member, the member will
-	// apply 3 ConfChange directly at the beginning, meaning its applied
-	// index is 4.
-	for i := 0; i < 102-4; i++ {
-		_, err := kvc.Put(context.TODO(), &pb.PutRequest{Key: []byte("foo"), Value: []byte("bar")})
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("#%d: couldn't put key (%v)", i, err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	ctx2, cancel2 := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), 5*time.Second)
-	defer cancel2()
-
-	_, err = m.LogObserver.Expect(ctx2, "saved snapshot", 2)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("failed to expect (log:%s, count:%v): %v", "saved snapshot", 1, err)
-	}
-
-	ctx3, cancel3 := context.WithTimeout(context.TODO(), 5*time.Second)
-	defer cancel3()
-
-	// Expect function should return a DeadlineExceeded error to ensure no more snapshots are present
-	_, err = m.LogObserver.Expect(ctx3, "saved snapshot", 3)
-	if !errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected error, max snapshots allowed is %d: %v", 2, err)
-	}
-}