diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
index d04ddf27b6965..043b02519b1f6 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ const { defaultLockfileVersion } = Shrinkwrap
 const Node = require('../node.js')
 const Link = require('../link.js')
 const addRmPkgDeps = require('../add-rm-pkg-deps.js')
-const optionalSet = require('../optional-set.js')
 const { checkEngine, checkPlatform } = require('npm-install-checks')
 const relpath = require('../relpath.js')
 const resetDepFlags = require('../reset-dep-flags.js')
@@ -195,7 +194,7 @@ module.exports = cls => class IdealTreeBuilder extends cls {
       await this.#applyUserRequests(options)
       await this.#buildDeps()
       await this.#fixDepFlags()
-      await this.#pruneFailedOptional()
+      await this.#throwFailure()
       await this.#checkEngineAndPlatform()
     } finally {
       process.emit('timeEnd', 'idealTree')
@@ -1496,16 +1495,11 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
     }
   }
 
-  #pruneFailedOptional () {
+  #throwFailure () {
     for (const node of this.#loadFailures) {
       if (!node.optional) {
         throw node.errors[0]
       }
-
-      const set = optionalSet(node)
-      for (const node of set) {
-        node.parent = null
-      }
     }
   }
 }