diff --git a/distributed/scheduler.py b/distributed/scheduler.py
index c538056e7dc..19963fb7654 100644
--- a/distributed/scheduler.py
+++ b/distributed/scheduler.py
@@ -3720,7 +3720,6 @@ def __init__(
         worker_handlers = {
             "task-finished": self.handle_task_finished,
             "task-erred": self.handle_task_erred,
-            "release": self.handle_release_data,
             "release-worker-data": self.release_worker_data,
             "add-keys": self.add_keys,
             "missing-data": self.handle_missing_data,
@@ -4739,70 +4738,23 @@ def stimulus_task_erred(
         parent: SchedulerState = cast(SchedulerState, self)
         logger.debug("Stimulus task erred %s, %s", key, worker)
 
-        recommendations: dict = {}
-        client_msgs: dict = {}
-        worker_msgs: dict = {}
-
         ts: TaskState = parent._tasks.get(key)
-        if ts is None:
-            return recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs
-
-        if ts._state == "processing":
-            retries: Py_ssize_t = ts._retries
-            r: tuple
-            if retries > 0:
-                ts._retries = retries - 1
-                r = parent._transition(key, "waiting")
-            else:
-                r = parent._transition(
-                    key,
-                    "erred",
-                    cause=key,
-                    exception=exception,
-                    traceback=traceback,
-                    worker=worker,
-                    **kwargs,
-                )
-            recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs = r
-
-        return recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs
-
-    def stimulus_missing_data(
-        self, cause=None, key=None, worker=None, ensure=True, **kwargs
-    ):
-        """Mark that certain keys have gone missing.  Recover."""
-        parent: SchedulerState = cast(SchedulerState, self)
-        with log_errors():
-            logger.debug("Stimulus missing data %s, %s", key, worker)
-
-            recommendations: dict = {}
-            client_msgs: dict = {}
-            worker_msgs: dict = {}
-
-            ts: TaskState = parent._tasks.get(key)
-            if ts is None or ts._state == "memory":
-                return recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs
-            cts: TaskState = parent._tasks.get(cause)
-
-            if cts is not None and cts._state == "memory":  # couldn't find this
-                ws: WorkerState
-                cts_nbytes: Py_ssize_t = cts.get_nbytes()
-                for ws in cts._who_has:  # TODO: this behavior is extreme
-                    del ws._has_what[ts]
-                    ws._nbytes -= cts_nbytes
-                cts._who_has.clear()
-                recommendations[cause] = "released"
-
-            if key:
-                recommendations[key] = "released"
-
-            parent._transitions(recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs)
-            recommendations = {}
+        if ts is None or ts._state != "processing":
+            return {}, {}, {}
 
-            if parent._validate:
-                assert cause not in self.who_has
-
-            return recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs
+        if ts._retries > 0:
+            ts._retries -= 1
+            return parent._transition(key, "waiting")
+        else:
+            return parent._transition(
+                key,
+                "erred",
+                cause=key,
+                exception=exception,
+                traceback=traceback,
+                worker=worker,
+                **kwargs,
+            )
 
     def stimulus_retry(self, comm=None, keys=None, client=None):
         parent: SchedulerState = cast(SchedulerState, self)
@@ -5346,25 +5298,6 @@ def handle_task_erred(self, key=None, **msg):
 
         self.send_all(client_msgs, worker_msgs)
 
-    def handle_release_data(self, key=None, worker=None, client=None, **msg):
-        parent: SchedulerState = cast(SchedulerState, self)
-        ts: TaskState = parent._tasks.get(key)
-        if ts is None:
-            return
-        ws: WorkerState = parent._workers_dv.get(worker)
-        if ws is None or ts._processing_on != ws:
-            return
-
-        recommendations: dict
-        client_msgs: dict
-        worker_msgs: dict
-
-        r: tuple = self.stimulus_missing_data(key=key, ensure=False, **msg)
-        recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs = r
-        parent._transitions(recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs)
-
-        self.send_all(client_msgs, worker_msgs)
-
     def handle_missing_data(self, key=None, errant_worker=None, **kwargs):
         parent: SchedulerState = cast(SchedulerState, self)
         logger.debug("handle missing data key=%s worker=%s", key, errant_worker)