diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ilm/LifecycleExecutionStateUtils.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ilm/LifecycleExecutionStateUtils.java
deleted file mode 100644
index ab445ed279ea8..0000000000000
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ilm/LifecycleExecutionStateUtils.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
- * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
- * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
- * 2.0.
- */
-
-package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm;
-
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.LifecycleExecutionState;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.Metadata;
-import org.elasticsearch.index.Index;
-
-import java.util.Objects;
-
-/**
- * A utility class used for index lifecycle execution states
- */
-public class LifecycleExecutionStateUtils {
-
-    private LifecycleExecutionStateUtils() {}
-
-    /**
-     * Given a cluster state, index, and lifecycle state, returns a cluster state where
-     * the lifecycle state will be associated with the given index.
-     * <p>
-     * The passed-in index must already be present in the cluster state, this method cannot
-     * be used to add an index.
-     * <p>
-     *  See also {@link Metadata#withLifecycleState}.
-     */
-    public static ClusterState newClusterStateWithLifecycleState(
-        final ClusterState clusterState,
-        final Index index,
-        final LifecycleExecutionState lifecycleState
-    ) {
-        Objects.requireNonNull(clusterState, "clusterState must not be null");
-        Objects.requireNonNull(index, "index must not be null");
-        Objects.requireNonNull(lifecycleState, "lifecycleState must not be null");
-
-        final Metadata metadata = clusterState.metadata().withLifecycleState(index, lifecycleState);
-        if (metadata == clusterState.metadata()) {
-            return clusterState;
-        } else {
-            return ClusterState.builder(clusterState).metadata(metadata).build();
-        }
-    }
-
-}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ilm/LifecycleExecutionStateUtilsTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ilm/LifecycleExecutionStateUtilsTests.java
deleted file mode 100644
index e7d112d6fc794..0000000000000
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ilm/LifecycleExecutionStateUtilsTests.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
- * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
- * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
- * 2.0.
- */
-
-package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm;
-
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterName;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetadata;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.LifecycleExecutionState;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.Metadata;
-import org.elasticsearch.index.Index;
-import org.elasticsearch.index.IndexVersion;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
-
-import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ilm.LifecycleExecutionStateUtils.newClusterStateWithLifecycleState;
-import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
-import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.sameInstance;
-
-public class LifecycleExecutionStateUtilsTests extends ESTestCase {
-
-    public void testNewClusterStateWithLifecycleState() {
-        String indexName = "my-index";
-        String indexUUID = randomAlphaOfLength(10);
-        Index index = new Index(indexName, indexUUID);
-
-        Metadata metadata = Metadata.builder()
-            .put(
-                IndexMetadata.builder(indexName)
-                    .settings(settings(IndexVersion.current()).put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_INDEX_UUID, indexUUID))
-                    .creationDate(randomNonNegativeLong())
-                    .numberOfShards(1)
-                    .numberOfReplicas(0)
-
-            )
-            .build();
-
-        ClusterState clusterState1 = ClusterState.builder(ClusterName.DEFAULT).metadata(metadata).build();
-        IndexMetadata indexMetadata1 = clusterState1.metadata().getProject().index(indexName);
-        assertThat(indexMetadata1.getLifecycleExecutionState(), sameInstance(LifecycleExecutionState.EMPTY_STATE));
-
-        LifecycleExecutionState state = LifecycleExecutionState.builder().setPhase("phase").setAction("action").setStep("step").build();
-
-        // setting the state via newClusterStateWithLifecycleState will set the state
-        ClusterState clusterState2 = newClusterStateWithLifecycleState(clusterState1, index, state);
-        IndexMetadata indexMetadata2 = clusterState2.metadata().getProject().index(indexName);
-        assertThat(indexMetadata2.getLifecycleExecutionState().asMap(), is(state.asMap()));
-
-        // but if the lifecycle state doesn't actually change, then you get the same cluster state back
-        LifecycleExecutionState copy = LifecycleExecutionState.fromCustomMetadata(state.asMap());
-        ClusterState clusterState3 = newClusterStateWithLifecycleState(clusterState2, index, copy);
-        assertThat(clusterState3, sameInstance(clusterState2));
-    }
-
-}