diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/kernels/kernel_util.cc b/tensorflow/lite/kernels/kernel_util.cc
index fab884bc90c..cd243335c9c 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/kernels/kernel_util.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/kernels/kernel_util.cc
@@ -75,12 +75,7 @@ TfLiteTensor* GetOutput(TfLiteContext* context, const TfLiteNode* node,
 
 const TfLiteTensor* GetOptionalInputTensor(const TfLiteContext* context,
                                            const TfLiteNode* node, int index) {
-  const bool use_tensor = index < node->inputs->size &&
-                          node->inputs->data[index] != kTfLiteOptionalTensor;
-  if (use_tensor) {
-    return GetMutableInput(context, node, index);
-  }
-  return nullptr;
+  return GetInput(context, node, index);
 }
 
 // Per-axis