diff --git a/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.cpp b/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.cpp
index 0e22df855c04de..216e92e0742092 100644
--- a/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.cpp
+++ b/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.cpp
@@ -345,37 +345,6 @@ void ExchangeContext::Free()
     SYSTEM_STATS_DECREMENT(chip::System::Stats::kExchangeMgr_NumContexts);
 }
 
-void ExchangeContext::ForceFree()
-{
-    VerifyOrDie(mExchangeMgr != nullptr);
-
-    ExchangeManager * em = mExchangeMgr;
-
-    if (mDelegate != nullptr)
-    {
-        mDelegate->OnExchangeClosing(this);
-    }
-    mDelegate = nullptr;
-
-    CancelResponseTimer();
-
-    mExchangeMgr = nullptr;
-
-    em->DecrementContextsInUse();
-
-    if (mExchangeACL != nullptr)
-    {
-        chip::Platform::Delete(mExchangeACL);
-        mExchangeACL = nullptr;
-    }
-
-#if defined(CHIP_EXCHANGE_CONTEXT_DETAIL_LOGGING)
-    ChipLogProgress(ExchangeManager, "ec-- id: %d [%04" PRIX16 "], inUse: %d, addr: 0x%x", (this - em->ContextPool + 1),
-                    mExchangeId, em->GetContextsInUse(), this);
-#endif
-    SYSTEM_STATS_DECREMENT(chip::System::Stats::kExchangeMgr_NumContexts);
-}
-
 bool ExchangeContext::MatchExchange(SecureSessionHandle session, const PacketHeader & packetHeader,
                                     const PayloadHeader & payloadHeader)
 {
diff --git a/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.h b/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.h
index ed6ab141f5df88..0042c9af2aa4ac 100644
--- a/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.h
+++ b/src/messaging/ExchangeContext.h
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ class DLL_EXPORT ExchangeContext : public ReferenceCounted<ExchangeContext, Exch
                             ExchangeDelegate * delegate);
     void Free();
     void Reset();
-    void ForceFree();
 
     void SetResponseTimeout(Timeout timeout);
 
diff --git a/src/messaging/ExchangeMgr.cpp b/src/messaging/ExchangeMgr.cpp
index 969895f7fc391d..38aa0268cabe54 100644
--- a/src/messaging/ExchangeMgr.cpp
+++ b/src/messaging/ExchangeMgr.cpp
@@ -106,11 +106,8 @@ CHIP_ERROR ExchangeManager::Shutdown()
 
     for (auto & ec : mContextPool)
     {
-        if (ec.GetReferenceCount() > 0)
-        {
-            ChipLogError(ExchangeManager, "Exchange (id: %d) leaked", ec.GetExchangeId());
-            ec.ForceFree();
-        }
+        // ExchangeContext leaked
+        assert(ec.GetReferenceCount() == 0);
     }
 
     if (mSessionMgr != nullptr)