diff --git a/spec/helpers/doNotUnsubscribe.ts b/spec/helpers/doNotUnsubscribe.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 22752739dc..0000000000
--- a/spec/helpers/doNotUnsubscribe.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-///<reference path='../../typings/index.d.ts'/>
-import * as Rx from '../../dist/cjs/Rx';
-
-export function doNotUnsubscribe<T>(ob: Rx.Observable<T>): Rx.Observable<T> {
-  return ob.lift(new DoNotUnsubscribeOperator());
-}
-
-class DoNotUnsubscribeOperator<T, R> implements Rx.Operator<T, R> {
-  call(subscriber: Rx.Subscriber<R>, source: any): any {
-    return source.subscribe(new DoNotUnsubscribeSubscriber(subscriber));
-  }
-}
-
-class DoNotUnsubscribeSubscriber<T> extends Rx.Subscriber<T> {
-  unsubscribe() {} // tslint:disable-line no-empty
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/operators/elementAt-spec.ts b/spec/operators/elementAt-spec.ts
index 5d0c7a8a74..ac27b5cc85 100644
--- a/spec/operators/elementAt-spec.ts
+++ b/spec/operators/elementAt-spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import {expect} from 'chai';
 import * as Rx from '../../dist/cjs/Rx';
 import marbleTestingSignature = require('../helpers/marble-testing'); // tslint:disable-line:no-require-imports
-import { doNotUnsubscribe } from '../helpers/doNotUnsubscribe';
 
 declare const { asDiagram };
 declare const hot: typeof marbleTestingSignature.hot;
@@ -127,33 +126,4 @@ describe('Observable.prototype.elementAt', () => {
     expectObservable((<any>source).elementAt(3, defaultValue)).toBe(expected, { x: defaultValue });
     expectSubscriptions(source.subscriptions).toBe(subs);
   });
-
-  it('should unsubscribe from source Observable, even if destination does not unsubscribe', () => {
-    const source = hot('--a--b--c-d---|');
-    const subs =       '^       !      ';
-    const expected =   '--------(c|)   ';
-
-    expectObservable((<any>source).elementAt(2).let(doNotUnsubscribe)).toBe(expected);
-    expectSubscriptions(source.subscriptions).toBe(subs);
-  });
-
-  it('should unsubscribe from source if index is out of range, even if destination does not unsubscribe', () => {
-    const source = hot('--a--|');
-    const subs =       '^    !';
-    const expected =   '-----#';
-
-    expectObservable((<any>source).elementAt(3).let(doNotUnsubscribe))
-      .toBe(expected, null, new Rx.ArgumentOutOfRangeError());
-    expectSubscriptions(source.subscriptions).toBe(subs);
-  });
-
-  it('should unsubscribe when returning default value, even if destination does not unsubscribe', () => {
-    const source = hot('--a--|');
-    const subs =       '^    !';
-    const expected =   '-----(x|)';
-    const defaultValue = '42';
-
-    expectObservable((<any>source).elementAt(3, defaultValue).let(doNotUnsubscribe)).toBe(expected, { x: defaultValue });
-    expectSubscriptions(source.subscriptions).toBe(subs);
-  });
 });
diff --git a/src/operator/elementAt.ts b/src/operator/elementAt.ts
index a64fb12fde..65561e0890 100644
--- a/src/operator/elementAt.ts
+++ b/src/operator/elementAt.ts
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ class ElementAtSubscriber<T> extends Subscriber<T> {
     if (this.index-- === 0) {
       this.destination.next(x);
       this.destination.complete();
-      this.unsubscribe();
     }
   }
 
@@ -89,11 +88,8 @@ class ElementAtSubscriber<T> extends Subscriber<T> {
         destination.next(this.defaultValue);
       } else {
         destination.error(new ArgumentOutOfRangeError);
-        this.unsubscribe();
-        return;
       }
     }
     destination.complete();
-    this.unsubscribe();
   }
 }