diff --git a/changelogs/server_server/newsfragments/998.clarification b/changelogs/server_server/newsfragments/998.clarification
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c285269ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/server_server/newsfragments/998.clarification
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove `origin` field from PDUs which exists on many but not all PDUs in practice and doesn't serve an actual purpose.
diff --git a/data/api/server-server/definitions/unsigned_pdu_base.yaml b/data/api/server-server/definitions/unsigned_pdu_base.yaml
index a2bed9c3a..20a3e83d7 100644
--- a/data/api/server-server/definitions/unsigned_pdu_base.yaml
+++ b/data/api/server-server/definitions/unsigned_pdu_base.yaml
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ properties:
     type: string
     description: The ID of the user sending the event.
     example: "@someone:matrix.org"
-  origin:
-    type: string
-    description: The `server_name` of the homeserver that created this event.
-    example: "matrix.org"
   origin_server_ts:
     type: integer
     format: int64
@@ -128,7 +124,6 @@ required:
   - event_id
   - room_id
   - sender
-  - origin
   - origin_server_ts
   - type
   - content