diff --git a/layout/painting/RetainedDisplayListBuilder.cpp b/layout/painting/RetainedDisplayListBuilder.cpp
index 04ba2750879fc..4b71e13c60e81 100644
--- a/layout/painting/RetainedDisplayListBuilder.cpp
+++ b/layout/painting/RetainedDisplayListBuilder.cpp
@@ -393,14 +393,6 @@ RetainedDisplayListBuilder::MergeDisplayLists(nsDisplayList* aNewList,
         nsDisplayItem* old = nullptr;
         while ((old = aOldList->RemoveBottom()) && !IsSameItem(newItem, old)) {
           if (!IsAnyAncestorModified(old->FrameForInvalidation())) {
-            // Recurse into the child list (without a matching new list) to
-            // ensure that we find and remove any invalidated items.
-            if (old->GetChildren()) {
-              nsDisplayList empty(&mBuilder);
-              MergeDisplayLists(&empty, old->GetChildren(),
-                                old->GetChildren(), aStats);
-              old->UpdateBounds(&mBuilder);
-            }
             ReuseItem(old);
           } else {
             oldListLookup.Remove({ old->Frame(), old->GetPerFrameKey() });