diff --git a/services/backup/src/DatabaseManager.cpp b/services/backup/src/DatabaseManager.cpp
--- a/services/backup/src/DatabaseManager.cpp
+++ b/services/backup/src/DatabaseManager.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@
 }
 
 void DatabaseManager::removeBackupItem(std::shared_ptr<BackupItem> item) {
+  if (item == nullptr) {
+    return;
+  }
   this->innerRemoveItem(*item);
 }
 
@@ -146,6 +149,9 @@
 }
 
 void DatabaseManager::removeLogItem(std::shared_ptr<LogItem> item) {
+  if (item == nullptr) {
+    return;
+  }
   this->innerRemoveItem(*item);
 }
 
diff --git a/services/blob/src/BlobServiceImpl.cpp b/services/blob/src/BlobServiceImpl.cpp
--- a/services/blob/src/BlobServiceImpl.cpp
+++ b/services/blob/src/BlobServiceImpl.cpp
@@ -79,12 +79,7 @@
     // TODO handle cleanup here properly
     // for now the object's being removed right away
     const std::string blobHash = reverseIndexItem->getBlobHash();
-    if (!database::DatabaseManager::getInstance().removeReverseIndexItem(
-            holder)) {
-      throw std::runtime_error(
-          "could not remove an item for holder " + holder +
-          "(probably does not exist)");
-    }
+    database::DatabaseManager::getInstance().removeReverseIndexItem(holder);
     if (database::DatabaseManager::getInstance()
             .findReverseIndexItemsByHash(reverseIndexItem->getBlobHash())
             .size() == 0) {
diff --git a/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.h b/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.h
--- a/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.h
+++ b/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
   findReverseIndexItemByHolder(const std::string &holder);
   std::vector<std::shared_ptr<database::ReverseIndexItem>>
   findReverseIndexItemsByHash(const std::string &blobHash);
-  bool removeReverseIndexItem(const std::string &holder);
+  void removeReverseIndexItem(const std::string &holder);
 };
 
 } // namespace database
diff --git a/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.cpp b/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.cpp
--- a/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.cpp
+++ b/services/blob/src/DatabaseManager.cpp
@@ -107,14 +107,13 @@
   return result;
 }
 
-bool DatabaseManager::removeReverseIndexItem(const std::string &holder) {
+void DatabaseManager::removeReverseIndexItem(const std::string &holder) {
   std::shared_ptr<database::ReverseIndexItem> item =
       findReverseIndexItemByHolder(holder);
   if (item == nullptr) {
-    return false;
+    return;
   }
   this->innerRemoveItem(*item);
-  return true;
 }
 
 } // namespace database