diff --git a/lib/workqueue.c b/lib/workqueue.c
index e87edef68bdf..d630af1d1db0 100644
--- a/lib/workqueue.c
+++ b/lib/workqueue.c
@@ -281,8 +281,7 @@ void work_queue_run(struct event *thread)
 		do {
 			ret = wq->spec.workfunc(wq, item->data);
 			item->ran++;
-		} while ((ret == WQ_RETRY_NOW)
-			 && (item->ran < wq->spec.max_retries));
+		} while (item->ran < wq->spec.max_retries);
 
 		switch (ret) {
 		case WQ_QUEUE_BLOCKED: {
@@ -292,9 +291,6 @@ void work_queue_run(struct event *thread)
 			item->ran--;
 			goto stats;
 		}
-		case WQ_RETRY_LATER: {
-			goto stats;
-		}
 		case WQ_REQUEUE: {
 			item->ran--;
 			work_queue_item_requeue(wq, item);
@@ -312,11 +308,6 @@ void work_queue_run(struct event *thread)
 				titem = item;
 			break;
 		}
-		case WQ_RETRY_NOW:
-			/* a RETRY_NOW that gets here has exceeded max_tries, same
-			 * as ERROR
-			 */
-			fallthrough;
 		case WQ_SUCCESS:
 		default: {
 			work_queue_item_remove(wq, item);
@@ -368,8 +359,7 @@ void work_queue_run(struct event *thread)
 
 	/* Is the queue done yet? If it is, call the completion callback. */
 	if (!work_queue_empty(wq)) {
-		if (ret == WQ_RETRY_LATER ||
-		    ret == WQ_QUEUE_BLOCKED)
+		if (ret == WQ_QUEUE_BLOCKED)
 			work_queue_schedule(wq, wq->spec.retry);
 		else
 			work_queue_schedule(wq, 0);
diff --git a/lib/workqueue.h b/lib/workqueue.h
index 8b340ce53279..a495fe86156c 100644
--- a/lib/workqueue.h
+++ b/lib/workqueue.h
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@ DECLARE_MTYPE(WORK_QUEUE);
 /* action value, for use by item processor and item error handlers */
 typedef enum {
 	WQ_SUCCESS = 0,
-	WQ_RETRY_NOW,     /* retry immediately */
-	WQ_RETRY_LATER,   /* retry later, cease processing work queue */
-	WQ_REQUEUE,       /* requeue item, continue processing work queue */
+	WQ_REQUEUE,	  /* requeue item, continue processing work queue */
 	WQ_QUEUE_BLOCKED, /* Queue cant be processed at this time.
 			   * Similar to WQ_RETRY_LATER, but doesn't penalise
 			   * the particular item.. */
@@ -144,6 +142,7 @@ bool work_queue_is_scheduled(struct work_queue *wq);
 /* Helpers, exported for thread.c and command.c */
 extern void work_queue_run(struct event *thread);
 
+/* Function to initialize the workqueue cli */
 extern void workqueue_cmd_init(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/tests/lib/test_heavy_wq.c b/tests/lib/test_heavy_wq.c
index 225573ae92f6..8c2765cfdfa2 100644
--- a/tests/lib/test_heavy_wq.c
+++ b/tests/lib/test_heavy_wq.c
@@ -76,12 +76,6 @@ static wq_item_status slow_func(struct work_queue *wq, void *data)
 	for (j = 0; j < 300; j++)
 		x += sin(x) * j;
 
-	if ((hn->i % ITERS_LATER) == 0)
-		return WQ_RETRY_LATER;
-
-	if ((hn->i % ITERS_ERR) == 0)
-		return WQ_RETRY_NOW;
-
 	if ((hn->i % ITERS_PRINT) == 0)
 		printf("%s did %d, x = %g\n", hn->str, hn->i, x);