diff --git a/openraft/src/engine/engine_impl.rs b/openraft/src/engine/engine_impl.rs
index 05d2c5af7..01f76218c 100644
--- a/openraft/src/engine/engine_impl.rs
+++ b/openraft/src/engine/engine_impl.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ use crate::engine::handler::vote_handler::VoteHandler;
 use crate::engine::Command;
 use crate::entry::RaftEntry;
 use crate::error::InitializeError;
-use crate::error::NotAMembershipEntry;
 use crate::error::NotAllowed;
 use crate::error::NotInMembers;
 use crate::internal_server_state::InternalServerState;
@@ -183,21 +182,18 @@ where
         self.output.push_command(Command::AppendInputEntries { range: 0..l });
 
         let entry = &mut entries[0];
-        if let Some(m) = entry.get_membership() {
-            self.check_members_contain_me(m)?;
-        } else {
-            Err(NotAMembershipEntry {})?;
-        }
+        let m = entry.get_membership().expect("the only log entry for initializing has to be membership log");
+        self.check_members_contain_me(m)?;
 
-        if let Some(m) = entry.get_membership() {
-            let log_id = entry.get_log_id();
-            tracing::debug!("update effective membership: log_id:{} {}", log_id, m.summary());
+        let log_id = entry.get_log_id();
+        tracing::debug!("update effective membership: log_id:{} {}", log_id, m.summary());
 
-            let em = EffectiveMembership::new_arc(Some(*log_id), m.clone());
-            self.state.membership_state.append(em.clone());
-            self.output.push_command(Command::UpdateMembership { membership: em });
-            self.server_state_handler().update_server_state_if_changed();
-        }
+        let em = EffectiveMembership::new_arc(Some(*log_id), m.clone());
+        self.state.membership_state.append(em.clone());
+
+        self.output.push_command(Command::UpdateMembership { membership: em });
+
+        self.server_state_handler().update_server_state_if_changed();
 
         self.output.push_command(Command::MoveInputCursorBy { n: l });
 
diff --git a/openraft/src/engine/initialize_test.rs b/openraft/src/engine/initialize_test.rs
index 97c394e3c..35e79205e 100644
--- a/openraft/src/engine/initialize_test.rs
+++ b/openraft/src/engine/initialize_test.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ use crate::engine::Engine;
 use crate::engine::LogIdList;
 use crate::entry::EntryRef;
 use crate::error::InitializeError;
-use crate::error::NotAMembershipEntry;
 use crate::error::NotAllowed;
 use crate::error::NotInMembers;
 use crate::raft::VoteRequest;
@@ -243,18 +242,5 @@ fn test_initialize() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         );
     }
 
-    tracing::info!("--- log entry is not a membership entry");
-    {
-        let mut eng = eng();
-
-        let payload = EntryPayload::<Config>::Blank;
-        let mut entries = [EntryRef::new(&payload)];
-
-        assert_eq!(
-            Err(InitializeError::NotAMembershipEntry(NotAMembershipEntry {})),
-            eng.initialize(&mut entries)
-        );
-    }
-
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/openraft/src/error.rs b/openraft/src/error.rs
index 464a37b75..fd582d84a 100644
--- a/openraft/src/error.rs
+++ b/openraft/src/error.rs
@@ -171,9 +171,6 @@ where
     #[error(transparent)]
     NotInMembers(#[from] NotInMembers<NID, N>),
 
-    #[error(transparent)]
-    NotAMembershipEntry(#[from] NotAMembershipEntry),
-
     #[error(transparent)]
     Fatal(#[from] Fatal<NID>),
 }
@@ -424,11 +421,6 @@ where
     pub membership: Membership<NID, N>,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Deserialize, serde::Serialize), serde(bound = ""))]
-#[error("initializing log entry has to be a membership config entry")]
-pub struct NotAMembershipEntry {}
-
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Deserialize, serde::Serialize))]
 #[error("new membership can not be empty")]