diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations.rb
index d26519e7d5..8907c9c487 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations.rb
@@ -1493,7 +1493,6 @@ module ActiveRecord
             end
 
             association.replace(record)
-            association.target.nil? ? nil : association
           end
 
           redefine_method("set_#{reflection.name}_target") do |target|