diff --git a/src/test-helpers/deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch.ts b/src/test-helpers/deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch.ts
index 92962f3263..f2afa010b7 100644
--- a/src/test-helpers/deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch.ts
+++ b/src/test-helpers/deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch.ts
@@ -12,13 +12,15 @@ import rootedParentOf from '../selectors/rootedParentOf'
 /**
  * Get thought and context for the given unranked path.
  */
-const getThoughtAndParentPath = (state: State, at: string[]): [Thought | undefined, Path] => {
+const getThoughtAndParentPath = (state: State, at: string[]): [Thought, Path] => {
   const path = contextToPath(state, at)
 
   if (!path) throw new Error(`Ranked thoughts not found for context: ${at}`)
 
   const thought = pathToThought(state, path)
 
+  if (!thought) throw new Error(`Thought not found for path: ${path}`)
+
   const pathParent = rootedParentOf(state, path)
 
   return [thought, pathParent]
@@ -28,10 +30,7 @@ const getThoughtAndParentPath = (state: State, at: string[]): [Thought | undefin
  */
 const deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch = _.curryRight((state: State, at: string[]) => {
   const [thought, pathParent] = getThoughtAndParentPath(state, at)
-  if (!thought) {
-    console.warn(`Aborting deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch for ${at} because thought not found`)
-    return state
-  }
+
   return deleteThought(state, {
     pathParent,
     thoughtId: thought.id,
@@ -45,10 +44,7 @@ export const deleteThoughtAtFirstMatchActionCreator =
   (at: Context): Thunk =>
   (dispatch, getState) => {
     const [thought, pathParent] = getThoughtAndParentPath(getState(), at)
-    if (!thought) {
-      console.warn(`Aborting deleteThoughtAtFirstMatch for ${at} because thought not found`)
-      return
-    }
+
     dispatch(
       deleteThoughtActionCreator({
         pathParent,