diff --git a/libavcodec/cbs_h264.h b/libavcodec/cbs_h264.h
index a31be298ba..b39e7480c9 100644
--- a/libavcodec/cbs_h264.h
+++ b/libavcodec/cbs_h264.h
@@ -478,10 +478,13 @@ int ff_cbs_h264_add_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
  *
  * Deletes from nal_unit, which must be an SEI NAL unit.  If this is the
  * last message in nal_unit, also deletes it from access_unit.
+ *
+ * Requires nal_unit to be a unit in access_unit and position to be >= 0
+ * and < the payload count of the SEI nal_unit.
  */
-int ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
-                                   CodedBitstreamFragment *access_unit,
-                                   CodedBitstreamUnit *nal_unit,
-                                   int position);
+void ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
+                                    CodedBitstreamFragment *access_unit,
+                                    CodedBitstreamUnit *nal_unit,
+                                    int position);
 
 #endif /* AVCODEC_CBS_H264_H */
diff --git a/libavcodec/cbs_h2645.c b/libavcodec/cbs_h2645.c
index 484b145852..b286269913 100644
--- a/libavcodec/cbs_h2645.c
+++ b/libavcodec/cbs_h2645.c
@@ -1644,10 +1644,10 @@ int ff_cbs_h264_add_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
     return 0;
 }
 
-int ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
-                                   CodedBitstreamFragment *au,
-                                   CodedBitstreamUnit *nal,
-                                   int position)
+void ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
+                                    CodedBitstreamFragment *au,
+                                    CodedBitstreamUnit *nal,
+                                    int position)
 {
     H264RawSEI *sei = nal->content;
 
@@ -1662,7 +1662,6 @@ int ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
             if (&au->units[i] == nal)
                 break;
         }
-        av_assert0(i < au->nb_units && "NAL unit not in access unit.");
 
         ff_cbs_delete_unit(ctx, au, i);
     } else {
@@ -1673,6 +1672,4 @@ int ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(CodedBitstreamContext *ctx,
                 sei->payload + position + 1,
                 (sei->payload_count - position) * sizeof(*sei->payload));
     }
-
-    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libavcodec/h264_metadata_bsf.c b/libavcodec/h264_metadata_bsf.c
index e40baa3371..1c1c340d8f 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h264_metadata_bsf.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h264_metadata_bsf.c
@@ -437,15 +437,9 @@ static int h264_metadata_filter(AVBSFContext *bsf, AVPacket *pkt)
 
                 for (j = sei->payload_count - 1; j >= 0; j--) {
                     if (sei->payload[j].payload_type ==
-                        H264_SEI_TYPE_FILLER_PAYLOAD) {
-                        err = ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(ctx->cbc, au,
-                                                             &au->units[i], j);
-                        if (err < 0) {
-                            av_log(bsf, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Failed to delete "
-                                   "filler SEI message.\n");
-                            goto fail;
-                        }
-                    }
+                        H264_SEI_TYPE_FILLER_PAYLOAD)
+                        ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(ctx->cbc, au,
+                                                       &au->units[i], j);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -469,13 +463,8 @@ static int h264_metadata_filter(AVBSFContext *bsf, AVPacket *pkt)
 
                 if (ctx->display_orientation == REMOVE ||
                     ctx->display_orientation == INSERT) {
-                    err = ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(ctx->cbc, au,
-                                                         &au->units[i], j);
-                    if (err < 0) {
-                        av_log(bsf, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Failed to delete "
-                               "display orientation SEI message.\n");
-                        goto fail;
-                    }
+                    ff_cbs_h264_delete_sei_message(ctx->cbc, au,
+                                                   &au->units[i], j);
                     continue;
                 }