diff --git a/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md b/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
index 325b5edfcb..385140120f 100644
--- a/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
+++ b/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (
 * **BREAKING** `createIndepentApplyTask(String taskName)` now requires that `taskName` does not end with `Apply`
 * Bump minimum required Gradle from `6.1` to `6.1.1`.
 
+### Removed
+* **BREAKING** `removeFormat` (which has been broken since `5.0`) has been removed. Use `clearSteps()` as a workaround ([#653](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/issues/653)).
+
 ## [5.17.1] - 2021-10-26
 ### Changed
 * Added support and bump Eclipse formatter default versions to `4.21` for `eclipse-groovy`. Change is only applied for JVM 11+.
diff --git a/plugin-gradle/src/main/java/com/diffplug/gradle/spotless/SpotlessExtension.java b/plugin-gradle/src/main/java/com/diffplug/gradle/spotless/SpotlessExtension.java
index 7959bdc71d..52edf06e66 100644
--- a/plugin-gradle/src/main/java/com/diffplug/gradle/spotless/SpotlessExtension.java
+++ b/plugin-gradle/src/main/java/com/diffplug/gradle/spotless/SpotlessExtension.java
@@ -182,15 +182,6 @@ public void format(String name, Action<FormatExtension> closure) {
 		format(name, FormatExtension.class, closure);
 	}
 
-	/** Makes it possible to remove a format which was created earlier. */
-	public void removeFormat(String name) {
-		requireNonNull(name);
-		FormatExtension toRemove = formats.remove(name);
-		if (toRemove == null) {
-			project.getLogger().warn("Called removeFormat('" + name + "') but there was no such format.");
-		}
-	}
-
 	boolean enforceCheck = true;
 
 	/** Returns {@code true} if Gradle's {@code check} task should run {@code spotlessCheck}; {@code false} otherwise. */