diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/BaseTransaction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/BaseTransaction.java
index 32cf695c8b5a..018f70eb16fa 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/BaseTransaction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/BaseTransaction.java
@@ -446,20 +446,16 @@ private void commitSimpleTransaction() {
       }
 
       Set<String> committedFiles = committedFiles(ops, newSnapshots);
-      if (committedFiles != null) {
-        // delete all of the files that were deleted in the most recent set of operation commits
-        Tasks.foreach(deletedFiles)
-            .suppressFailureWhenFinished()
-            .onFailure((file, exc) -> LOG.warn("Failed to delete uncommitted file: {}", file, exc))
-            .run(
-                path -> {
-                  if (!committedFiles.contains(path)) {
-                    ops.io().deleteFile(path);
-                  }
-                });
-      } else {
-        LOG.warn("Failed to load metadata for a committed snapshot, skipping clean-up");
-      }
+      // delete all of the files that were deleted in the most recent set of operation commits
+      Tasks.foreach(deletedFiles)
+          .suppressFailureWhenFinished()
+          .onFailure((file, exc) -> LOG.warn("Failed to delete uncommitted file: {}", file, exc))
+          .run(
+              path -> {
+                if (committedFiles == null || !committedFiles.contains(path)) {
+                  ops.io().deleteFile(path);
+                }
+              });
 
     } catch (RuntimeException e) {
       LOG.warn("Failed to load committed metadata, skipping clean-up", e);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableTestBase.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableTestBase.java
index 68ce05528964..c3db85910138 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableTestBase.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TableTestBase.java
@@ -212,6 +212,15 @@ List<File> listManifestFiles(File tableDirToList) {
                         && Files.getFileExtension(name).equalsIgnoreCase("avro")));
   }
 
+  List<File> listManifestLists(String tableDirToList) {
+    return Lists.newArrayList(
+        new File(tableDirToList, "metadata")
+            .listFiles(
+                (dir, name) ->
+                    name.startsWith("snap")
+                        && Files.getFileExtension(name).equalsIgnoreCase("avro")));
+  }
+
   public static long countAllMetadataFiles(File tableDir) {
     return Arrays.stream(new File(tableDir, "metadata").listFiles())
         .filter(f -> f.isFile())
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestRemoveSnapshots.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestRemoveSnapshots.java
index 71455c571282..fc3aa6c91685 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestRemoveSnapshots.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestRemoveSnapshots.java
@@ -440,7 +440,10 @@ public void testRetainNAvailableSnapshotsWithTransaction() {
       t3 = System.currentTimeMillis();
     }
 
-    // Retain last 2 snapshots
+    Assert.assertEquals(
+        "Should be 3 manifest lists", 3, listManifestLists(table.location()).size());
+
+    // Retain last 2 snapshots, which means 1 is deleted.
     Transaction tx = table.newTransaction();
     removeSnapshots(tx.table()).expireOlderThan(t3).retainLast(2).commit();
     tx.commitTransaction();
@@ -449,6 +452,8 @@ public void testRetainNAvailableSnapshotsWithTransaction() {
         "Should have two snapshots.", 2, Lists.newArrayList(table.snapshots()).size());
     Assert.assertEquals(
         "First snapshot should not present.", null, table.snapshot(firstSnapshotId));
+    Assert.assertEquals(
+        "Should be 2 manifest lists", 2, listManifestLists(table.location()).size());
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSequenceNumberForV2Table.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSequenceNumberForV2Table.java
index 08bdc64a0853..86842b681278 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSequenceNumberForV2Table.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/TestSequenceNumberForV2Table.java
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ public void testExpirationInTransaction() {
     V2Assert.assertEquals("Snapshot sequence number should be 1", 1, snap1.sequenceNumber());
     V2Assert.assertEquals(
         "Last sequence number should be 1", 1, readMetadata().lastSequenceNumber());
+    V2Assert.assertEquals(
+        "Should be 1 manifest list", 1, listManifestLists(table.location()).size());
 
     table.newAppend().appendFile(FILE_B).commit();
     Snapshot snap2 = table.currentSnapshot();
@@ -319,12 +321,18 @@ public void testExpirationInTransaction() {
     V2Assert.assertEquals("Snapshot sequence number should be 2", 2, snap2.sequenceNumber());
     V2Assert.assertEquals(
         "Last sequence number should be 2", 2, readMetadata().lastSequenceNumber());
+    V2Assert.assertEquals(
+        "Should be 2 manifest lists", 2, listManifestLists(table.location()).size());
 
     Transaction txn = table.newTransaction();
     txn.expireSnapshots().expireSnapshotId(commitId1).commit();
     txn.commitTransaction();
     V2Assert.assertEquals(
         "Last sequence number should be 2", 2, readMetadata().lastSequenceNumber());
+    V2Assert.assertEquals(
+        "Should be 1 manifest list as 1 was deleted",
+        1,
+        listManifestLists(table.location()).size());
   }
 
   @Test