diff --git a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/OptimisticTransaction.scala b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/OptimisticTransaction.scala
index 4f41612570e..63395b3e5e8 100644
--- a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/OptimisticTransaction.scala
+++ b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/OptimisticTransaction.scala
@@ -547,7 +547,6 @@ trait OptimisticTransactionImpl extends TransactionalWrite
       // 2 or 3 will add "invariants" and "appendOnly", filling in the gaps for writer
       // protocol version 3, and then we can downgrade to version 3.
       val proposedNewProtocol = protocolBeforeUpdate
-        .normalizeLegacyFeatures
         .merge(newProtocolForLatestMetadata)
 
       if (proposedNewProtocol != protocolBeforeUpdate) {
diff --git a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/TableFeature.scala b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/TableFeature.scala
index 6cd786e93c4..29558d04df5 100644
--- a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/TableFeature.scala
+++ b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/TableFeature.scala
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ object TableFeature {
       RowTrackingFeature,
       InCommitTimestampTableFeature,
       VariantTypeTableFeature,
+      TestRemovableWriterFeature,
       CoordinatedCommitsTableFeature)
     if (DeltaUtils.isTesting) {
       features ++= Set(
diff --git a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/actions/TableFeatureSupport.scala b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/actions/TableFeatureSupport.scala
index 238aa8f577c..e8a2d5134f1 100644
--- a/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/actions/TableFeatureSupport.scala
+++ b/spark/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/actions/TableFeatureSupport.scala
@@ -359,19 +359,6 @@ trait TableFeatureSupport { this: Protocol =>
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * For table feature protocols, add the missing legacy features to match exactly the
-   * implicit features of the minimum required legacy protocol versions.
-   */
-  def normalizeLegacyFeatures: Protocol = {
-    if (!supportsWriterFeatures) return this
-
-    // Prepare the protocol but filling the "gaps" with all missing legacy features.
-    val (minReaderVersion, minWriterVersion) =
-      TableFeatureProtocolUtils.minimumRequiredVersions(readerAndWriterFeatures)
-    merge(Protocol(minReaderVersion, minWriterVersion))
-  }
-
   /**
    * Check if a `feature` is supported by this protocol. This means either (a) the protocol does
    * not support table features and implicitly supports the feature, or (b) the protocol supports
diff --git a/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/DeltaProtocolVersionSuite.scala b/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/DeltaProtocolVersionSuite.scala
index c0be59fe904..e2df8acba76 100644
--- a/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/DeltaProtocolVersionSuite.scala
+++ b/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/DeltaProtocolVersionSuite.scala
@@ -3464,10 +3464,10 @@ trait DeltaProtocolVersionSuiteBase extends QueryTest
       truncateHistory = truncateHistory)
   }
 
-  def validVersions = Seq((1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 5), (2, 6), (1, 7), (3, 7))
-  def invalidVersions = Seq((2, 2), (2, 3))
+  private def validVersions = Seq((1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 5), (1, 7), (3, 7))
+  private def invalidVersions = Seq((2, 2), (2, 3))
   for ((readerVersion, writerVersion) <- validVersions ++ invalidVersions)
-  test(s"Legacy features are added when setting legacy versions: " +
+  test("Legacy features are added when setting legacy versions: " +
       s"readerVersionToSet = $readerVersion, writerVersionToSet = $writerVersion") {
     withTempDir { dir =>
       val deltaLog = DeltaLog.forTable(spark, dir)
@@ -3491,7 +3491,7 @@ trait DeltaProtocolVersionSuiteBase extends QueryTest
     }
   }
 
-  test(s"Setting protocol versions in a legacy table should not add any features") {
+  test("Setting protocol versions in a legacy table should not add any features") {
     withTempDir { dir =>
       val deltaLog = DeltaLog.forTable(spark, dir)
 
@@ -3528,7 +3528,7 @@ trait DeltaProtocolVersionSuiteBase extends QueryTest
       sql(
         s"""CREATE TABLE delta.`${deltaLog.dataPath}` (id bigint) USING delta
            |TBLPROPERTIES (
-           |delta.minReaderVersion = $TABLE_FEATURES_MIN_READER_VERSION,
+           |delta.minReaderVersion = ${Math.max(tableFeatureToAdd.minReaderVersion, 1)},
            |delta.minWriterVersion = $TABLE_FEATURES_MIN_WRITER_VERSION,
            |delta.feature.${tableFeatureToAdd.name} = 'supported',
            |delta.feature.${ChangeDataFeedTableFeature.name} = 'supported'
@@ -3550,23 +3550,13 @@ trait DeltaProtocolVersionSuiteBase extends QueryTest
 
       if (!preemptiveVersionDowngrade) sql(downgradeProtocolVersionsSQL)
 
-      // - When setting the protocol versions on a protocol with legacy features only, we ignore
-      // the actual version set when it is lower than required from the already enabled legacy
-      // features. Instead, we always attempt to set the minimum required versions.
-      // - When setting the protocol versions on a protocol with table features we add the legacy
-      // features of the requested versions.
-      if (preemptiveVersionDowngrade) {
-        val expectedProtocol = if (downgradeVersionToSet < 4) {
-          Protocol(tableFeatureToAdd.minReaderVersion, 7).withFeature(ChangeDataFeedTableFeature)
-            .merge(Protocol(1, downgradeVersionToSet))
-        } else {
-          Protocol(1, downgradeVersionToSet)
-        }
-        assert(deltaLog.update().protocol === expectedProtocol)
+      val expectedProtocol = if (downgradeVersionToSet < 4) {
+        Protocol(tableFeatureToAdd.minReaderVersion, 7).withFeature(ChangeDataFeedTableFeature)
+          .merge(Protocol(1, downgradeVersionToSet))
       } else {
-        val expectedWriterVersion = if (downgradeVersionToSet > 4) downgradeVersionToSet else 4
-        assert(deltaLog.update().protocol === Protocol(1, expectedWriterVersion))
+        Protocol(1, downgradeVersionToSet)
       }
+      assert(deltaLog.update().protocol === expectedProtocol)
     }
   }
 
@@ -3604,6 +3594,8 @@ trait DeltaProtocolVersionSuiteBase extends QueryTest
         tableFeatureToAdd.name,
         truncateHistory = tableFeatureToAdd.isReaderWriterFeature).run(spark)
 
+      if (setLegacyVersions && downgradeAfterDrop) sql(downgradeProtocolVersionsSQL)
+
       val expectedProtocol = if (setLegacyVersions) {
         Protocol(1, 4)
       } else {
@@ -3636,7 +3628,7 @@ trait DeltaProtocolVersionSuiteBase extends QueryTest
       assert(deltaLog.update().protocol === Protocol(1, 2))
     }
   }
-  
+
   private def dropV2CheckpointsTableFeature(spark: SparkSession, log: DeltaLog): Unit = {
     spark.sql(s"ALTER TABLE delta.`${log.dataPath}` DROP FEATURE " +
       s"`${V2CheckpointTableFeature.name}`")