diff --git a/src/lib/services/project-service.ts b/src/lib/services/project-service.ts
index e8ccf71bfb..7be3ebfe7e 100644
--- a/src/lib/services/project-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/services/project-service.ts
@@ -430,7 +430,9 @@ export default class ProjectService {
         return this.accessService.getProjectRoleAccess(projectId);
     }
 
-    // Deprecated: See addAccess instead.
+    /**
+     * @deprecated see addAccess instead.
+     */
     async addUser(
         projectId: string,
         roleId: number,
@@ -470,6 +472,9 @@ export default class ProjectService {
         );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use removeUserAccess
+     */
     async removeUser(
         projectId: string,
         roleId: number,
@@ -511,7 +516,10 @@ export default class ProjectService {
         const ownerRole = await this.accessService.getRoleByName(
             RoleName.OWNER,
         );
-        await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, ownerRole);
+
+        if (existingRoles.includes(ownerRole.id)) {
+            await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, ownerRole);
+        }
 
         await this.accessService.removeUserAccess(projectId, userId);
 
@@ -540,7 +548,10 @@ export default class ProjectService {
         const ownerRole = await this.accessService.getRoleByName(
             RoleName.OWNER,
         );
-        await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, ownerRole);
+
+        if (existingRoles.includes(ownerRole.id)) {
+            await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, ownerRole);
+        }
 
         await this.accessService.removeGroupAccess(projectId, groupId);
 
@@ -592,6 +603,9 @@ export default class ProjectService {
         );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use removeGroupAccess
+     */
     async removeGroup(
         projectId: string,
         roleId: number,
@@ -745,7 +759,6 @@ export default class ProjectService {
         if (hasOwnerRole && isRemovingOwnerRole) {
             await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, ownerRole);
         }
-        await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, ownerRole);
 
         await this.accessService.setProjectRolesForGroup(
             projectId,
@@ -871,7 +884,6 @@ export default class ProjectService {
             // Nothing to do....
             return;
         }
-
         await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, currentRole);
 
         await this.accessService.updateUserProjectRole(
@@ -925,7 +937,6 @@ export default class ProjectService {
             // Nothing to do....
             return;
         }
-
         await this.validateAtLeastOneOwner(projectId, currentRole);
 
         await this.accessService.updateGroupProjectRole(
diff --git a/src/test/e2e/services/project-service.e2e.test.ts b/src/test/e2e/services/project-service.e2e.test.ts
index e077d1c18c..7dfc7d2cdf 100644
--- a/src/test/e2e/services/project-service.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/test/e2e/services/project-service.e2e.test.ts
@@ -1048,6 +1048,44 @@ describe('ensure project has at least one owner', () => {
         );
     });
 
+    test('should be able to remove member user from the project when another is owner', async () => {
+        const project = {
+            id: 'remove-users-members-allowed',
+            name: 'New project',
+            description: 'Blah',
+            mode: 'open' as const,
+            defaultStickiness: 'clientId',
+        };
+        await projectService.createProject(project, user);
+
+        const memberRole = await stores.roleStore.getRoleByName(
+            RoleName.MEMBER,
+        );
+
+        const memberUser = await stores.userStore.insert({
+            name: 'Some Name',
+            email: 'member@getunleash.io',
+        });
+
+        await projectService.addAccess(
+            project.id,
+            [memberRole.id],
+            [],
+            [memberUser.id],
+            'test',
+        );
+
+        const usersBefore = await projectService.getProjectUsers(project.id);
+        await projectService.removeUserAccess(
+            project.id,
+            memberUser.id,
+            'test',
+        );
+        const usersAfter = await projectService.getProjectUsers(project.id);
+        expect(usersBefore).toHaveLength(2);
+        expect(usersAfter).toHaveLength(1);
+    });
+
     test('should not update role for user on project when she is the owner', async () => {
         const project = {
             id: 'update-users-not-allowed',