diff --git a/data/queue.py b/data/queue.py
index 041f644f5..421d7d6e7 100644
--- a/data/queue.py
+++ b/data/queue.py
@@ -213,8 +213,7 @@ class WorkQueue(object):
 
   def cancel(self, item_id):
     """ Attempts to cancel the queue item with the given ID from the queue. Returns true on success
-        and false if the queue item could not be canceled. A queue item can only be canceled if
-        if is available and has retries remaining.
+        and false if the queue item could not be canceled.
     """
 
     with self._transaction_factory(db):
@@ -225,10 +224,6 @@ class WorkQueue(object):
       except QueueItem.DoesNotExist:
         return False
 
-      # Check the queue item.
-      if not queue_item.available or queue_item.retries_remaining == 0:
-        return False
-
       # Delete the queue item.
       queue_item.delete_instance(recursive=True)
       return True
diff --git a/test/test_api_usage.py b/test/test_api_usage.py
index 81e137faf..1bfb8f9dc 100644
--- a/test/test_api_usage.py
+++ b/test/test_api_usage.py
@@ -2317,7 +2317,7 @@ class TestRepositoryBuildResource(ApiTestCase):
     # Try to cancel the build.
     self.deleteResponse(RepositoryBuildResource,
                         params=dict(repository=ADMIN_ACCESS_USER + '/simple', build_uuid=uuid),
-                        expected_code=400)
+                        expected_code=201)
 
 
   def test_attemptcancel_workingbuild(self):