diff --git a/bigtable/bigtable.go b/bigtable/bigtable.go
index 94e21f4b6994..3b1799c2d137 100644
--- a/bigtable/bigtable.go
+++ b/bigtable/bigtable.go
@@ -1086,15 +1086,12 @@ func (t *Table) apply(ctx context.Context, mt *builtinMetricsTracer, row string,
 		}
 		req.FalseMutations = m.mfalse.ops
 	}
-	if mutationsAreRetryable(req.TrueMutations) && mutationsAreRetryable(req.FalseMutations) {
-		callOptions = retryOptions
-	}
 	var cmRes *btpb.CheckAndMutateRowResponse
 	err = gaxInvokeWithRecorder(ctx, mt, "CheckAndMutateRow", func(ctx context.Context, headerMD, trailerMD *metadata.MD, _ gax.CallSettings) error {
 		var err error
 		cmRes, err = t.c.client.CheckAndMutateRow(ctx, req, grpc.Header(headerMD), grpc.Trailer(trailerMD))
 		return err
-	}, callOptions...)
+	})
 	if err == nil {
 		after(cmRes)
 	}
diff --git a/bigtable/retry_test.go b/bigtable/retry_test.go
index f330dac16616..e4c12aa44dbf 100644
--- a/bigtable/retry_test.go
+++ b/bigtable/retry_test.go
@@ -119,16 +119,9 @@ func TestRetryApply(t *testing.T) {
 	condMut := NewCondMutation(ValueFilter(".*"), mutTrue, mutFalse)
 
 	errCount = 0
-	code = codes.Unavailable // Will be retried
-	if err := tbl.Apply(ctx, "row1", condMut); err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("conditionally mutating row with retries: %v", err)
-	}
-	row, err = tbl.ReadRow(ctx, "row1") // row1 already in the table
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("reading single value after conditional mutation: %v", err)
-	}
-	if row != nil {
-		t.Errorf("reading single value after conditional mutation: row not deleted")
+	code = codes.Unavailable // Won't be retried
+	if err := tbl.Apply(ctx, "row1", condMut); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("conditionally mutating row with no retries: no error")
 	}
 
 	errCount = 0