diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/fixture.php.inc b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/fixture.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 3cd0ea7dd31..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/fixture.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,57 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-class Fixture
-{
-    public function run()
-    {
-        $shallWeDoThis = true;
-
-        if ($shallWeDoThis) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        return;
-    }
-
-    public function anonymous()
-    {
-        $value = function() {
-            if (true) {
-                return 1 + 5;
-            }
-
-            return;
-        };
-    }
-}
-
-?>
------
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-class Fixture
-{
-    public function run()
-    {
-        $shallWeDoThis = true;
-
-        if ($shallWeDoThis) {
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-
-    public function anonymous()
-    {
-        $value = function() {
-            if (true) {
-                return 1 + 5;
-            }
-        };
-    }
-}
-
-?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/if_in_class_method.php.inc b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/if_in_class_method.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 504996207b3..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/if_in_class_method.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-class InClassMethod
-{
-    function run($value) {
-        if ($value === 1000) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if ($value) {
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-?>
------
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-class InClassMethod
-{
-    function run($value) {
-        if ($value === 1000) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if ($value) {
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/keep.php.inc b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/keep.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index af30f359645..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/keep.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-class Keep
-{
-    public function run()
-    {
-        $shallWeDoThis = true;
-
-        if ($shallWeDoThis) {
-            return 1;
-        }
-
-        return 5;
-    }
-
-    public function stop()
-    {
-        $shallWeDoThis = true;
-
-        if ($shallWeDoThis) {
-            return 1;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-function someFunctionWithNoReturn()
-{
-    return 1;
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/keep_comment_under.php.inc b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/keep_comment_under.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 6b658cbf7c6..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/keep_comment_under.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-class KeepCommentUnder
-{
-    public function run()
-    {
-        return 'something'; // this comment explains stuff
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/skip_return_value.php.inc b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/skip_return_value.php.inc
deleted file mode 100644
index 9a7b1646af4..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/Fixture/skip_return_value.php.inc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\Fixture;
-
-final class SkipReturnValue
-{
-    public function some_function($value)
-    {
-        if ($value === 1000) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if ($value) {
-            return 10;
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/RemoveDeadReturnRectorTest.php b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/RemoveDeadReturnRectorTest.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 537c25e7265..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/RemoveDeadReturnRectorTest.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector;
-
-use Iterator;
-use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\DataProvider;
-use Rector\Testing\PHPUnit\AbstractRectorTestCase;
-
-final class RemoveDeadReturnRectorTest extends AbstractRectorTestCase
-{
-    #[DataProvider('provideData')]
-    public function test(string $filePath): void
-    {
-        $this->doTestFile($filePath);
-    }
-
-    public static function provideData(): Iterator
-    {
-        return self::yieldFilesFromDirectory(__DIR__ . '/Fixture');
-    }
-
-    public function provideConfigFilePath(): string
-    {
-        return __DIR__ . '/config/configured_rule.php';
-    }
-}
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/config/configured_rule.php b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/config/configured_rule.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 74f1e40ed59..00000000000
--- a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector/config/configured_rule.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
-use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector;
-
-return RectorConfig::configure()
-    ->withRules([RemoveDeadReturnRector::class]);
diff --git a/rules/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector.php b/rules/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector.php
index 4fc26e9e1f3..f11d38fe30e 100644
--- a/rules/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector.php
+++ b/rules/DeadCode/Rector/FunctionLike/RemoveDeadReturnRector.php
@@ -5,21 +5,19 @@
 namespace Rector\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike;
 
 use PhpParser\Node;
-use PhpParser\Node\Expr;
 use PhpParser\Node\Expr\Closure;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\ClassMethod;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Else_;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Function_;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\If_;
-use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Return_;
+use Rector\Configuration\Deprecation\Contract\DeprecatedInterface;
+use Rector\Exception\ShouldNotHappenException;
 use Rector\Rector\AbstractRector;
 use Rector\RuleDoc\CodeSample\CodeSample;
 use Rector\RuleDoc\RuleDefinition;
 
 /**
- * @see \Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector\RemoveDeadReturnRectorTest
+ * @deprecated This rule is deprecated in favor of RemoveAlwaysTrueIfConditionRector.
  */
-final class RemoveDeadReturnRector extends AbstractRector
+final class RemoveDeadReturnRector extends AbstractRector implements DeprecatedInterface
 {
     public function getRuleDefinition(): RuleDefinition
     {
@@ -74,54 +72,9 @@ public function getNodeTypes(): array
      */
     public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
     {
-        if ($node->stmts === [] || $node->stmts === null) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        $lastStmtKey = array_key_last($node->stmts);
-
-        $lastStmt = $node->stmts[$lastStmtKey];
-
-        if ($lastStmt instanceof If_) {
-            if (! $this->isBareIfWithOnlyStmtEmptyReturn($lastStmt)) {
-                return null;
-            }
-
-            $lastStmt->stmts = [];
-            return $node;
-        }
-
-        if (! $lastStmt instanceof Return_) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        if ($lastStmt->expr instanceof Expr) {
-            return null;
-        }
-
-        unset($node->stmts[$lastStmtKey]);
-        return $node;
-    }
-
-    private function isBareIfWithOnlyStmtEmptyReturn(If_ $if): bool
-    {
-        if ($if->else instanceof Else_) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        if ($if->elseifs !== []) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        if (count($if->stmts) !== 1) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        $onlyStmt = $if->stmts[0];
-        if (! $onlyStmt instanceof Return_) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return ! $onlyStmt->expr instanceof Expr;
+        throw new ShouldNotHappenException(sprintf(
+            '"%s" rule is deprecated in favor of RemoveAlwaysTrueIfConditionRector',
+            self::class
+        ));
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Config/Level/DeadCodeLevel.php b/src/Config/Level/DeadCodeLevel.php
index 7c1350fd99a..5f8db19ffd3 100644
--- a/src/Config/Level/DeadCodeLevel.php
+++ b/src/Config/Level/DeadCodeLevel.php
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@
 use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\Foreach_\RemoveUnusedForeachKeyRector;
 use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\FuncCall\RemoveFilterVarOnExactTypeRector;
 use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\NarrowWideUnionReturnTypeRector;
-use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\FunctionLike\RemoveDeadReturnRector;
 use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\If_\ReduceAlwaysFalseIfOrRector;
 use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\If_\RemoveAlwaysTrueIfConditionRector;
 use Rector\DeadCode\Rector\If_\RemoveDeadIfBlockRector;
@@ -184,7 +183,6 @@ final class DeadCodeLevel
         // this could break framework magic autowiring in some cases
         RemoveUnusedConstructorParamRector::class,
         RemoveEmptyClassMethodRector::class,
-        RemoveDeadReturnRector::class,
 
         RemoveArgumentFromDefaultParentCallRector::class,
         RemoveNullArgOnNullDefaultParamRector::class,