diff --git a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DescriptionBasedDiff.java b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DescriptionBasedDiff.java
index 8f9b5827be7..1c11b94ea06 100644
--- a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DescriptionBasedDiff.java
+++ b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DescriptionBasedDiff.java
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public void handleFix(Fix fix) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void applyDifferences(SourceFile sourceFile) throws DiffNotApplicableException {
+  public void applyDifferences(SourceFile sourceFile) {
     if (!importsToAdd.isEmpty() || !importsToRemove.isEmpty()) {
       ImportStatements importStatements = ImportStatements.create(compilationUnit, importOrganizer);
       importStatements.addAll(importsToAdd);
diff --git a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/Diff.java b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/Diff.java
index 5e469350ea4..56b287d6891 100644
--- a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/Diff.java
+++ b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/Diff.java
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ public interface Diff {
   /** Gets the name of the file this difference applies to */
   String getRelevantFileName();
 
-  /**
-   * Applies this difference to the supplied {@code sourceFile}.
-   *
-   * @throws DiffNotApplicableException if the diff could not be applied to the source file
-   */
+  /** Applies this difference to the supplied {@code sourceFile}. */
   void applyDifferences(SourceFile sourceFile);
 }
diff --git a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffApplier.java b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffApplier.java
index 386d79d1875..525a07d7a81 100644
--- a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffApplier.java
+++ b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffApplier.java
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ public void run() {
         if (completed % 100 == 0) {
           logger.log(Level.INFO, String.format("Completed %d files in %s", completed, stopwatch));
         }
-      } catch (IOException | DiffNotApplicableException e) {
+      } catch (IOException | RuntimeException e) {
         logger.log(Level.WARNING, "Failed to apply diff to file " + diff.getRelevantFileName(), e);
         diffsFailedPaths.add(diff.getRelevantFileName());
       } finally {
diff --git a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffNotApplicableException.java b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffNotApplicableException.java
deleted file mode 100644
index b4ef8ad600c..00000000000
--- a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/apply/DiffNotApplicableException.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2011 The Error Prone Authors.
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-package com.google.errorprone.apply;
-
-/** Exception thrown if a {@link Diff} could not be applied by a {@link DiffApplier} */
-public class DiffNotApplicableException extends RuntimeException {
-  public DiffNotApplicableException(String msg) {
-    super(msg);
-  }
-
-  public DiffNotApplicableException(String msg, Throwable cause) {
-    super(msg, cause);
-  }
-
-  public DiffNotApplicableException(Throwable cause) {
-    super(cause);
-  }
-}