diff --git a/lib/services/collection_service.dart b/lib/services/collection_service.dart
index 4e3d261..264313e 100644
--- a/lib/services/collection_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/collection_service.dart
@@ -374,8 +374,9 @@ class CollectionService {
       throw Exception('Collection owner cannot be removed.');
     }
 
-    final members = await getMembers(collectionId);
-    final targetMembership = members.where((member) => member.userId == memberUserId);
+    final membersBefore = await getMembers(collectionId);
+    final targetMembership =
+      membersBefore.where((member) => member.userId == memberUserId);
 
     if (targetMembership.isEmpty) {
       throw Exception('Member not found in this collection.');
@@ -385,28 +386,17 @@ class CollectionService {
       throw Exception('Collection owner cannot be removed.');
     }
 
-    final deleted = await supabase
+    await supabase
         .from('collection_members')
         .delete()
       .eq('collection_id', collectionId)
-      .eq('user_id', memberUserId)
-        .select('id');
+        .eq('user_id', memberUserId);
 
-    if (deleted.isEmpty) {
-      throw Exception(
-        'Member could not be removed (blocked by database policy).',
-      );
-    }
-
-    final stillExists = await supabase
-        .from('collection_members')
-        .select('id')
-        .eq('collection_id', collectionId)
-        .eq('user_id', memberUserId)
-        .maybeSingle();
-
-    if (stillExists != null) {
-      throw Exception('Member removal did not persist. Please try again.');
+    final membersAfter = await getMembers(collectionId);
+    final stillExists =
+        membersAfter.any((member) => member.userId == memberUserId);
+    if (stillExists) {
+      throw Exception('Member removal did not persist. Please check RLS delete policy.');
     }
   }