diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e65f4f7be..79b86c067 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  * `SafeCast`: add support for many more types, using procedural code generation. ([#3245](https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/3245))
  * `MerkleProof`: add `multiProofVerify` to prove multiple values are part of a Merkle tree. ([#3276](https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/3276))
  * `ERC721`, `ERC1155`: simplified revert reasons. ([#3254](https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/3254))
+ * `ERC721`: removed redundant require statement. ([#3434](https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/3434))
 
 ## 4.6.0 (2022-04-26)
 
diff --git a/contracts/token/ERC721/ERC721.sol b/contracts/token/ERC721/ERC721.sol
index d13026d76..36500727d 100644
--- a/contracts/token/ERC721/ERC721.sol
+++ b/contracts/token/ERC721/ERC721.sol
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ contract ERC721 is Context, ERC165, IERC721, IERC721Metadata {
      * - `tokenId` must exist.
      */
     function _isApprovedOrOwner(address spender, uint256 tokenId) internal view virtual returns (bool) {
-        require(_exists(tokenId), "ERC721: operator query for nonexistent token");
         address owner = ERC721.ownerOf(tokenId);
         return (spender == owner || isApprovedForAll(owner, spender) || getApproved(tokenId) == spender);
     }
diff --git a/test/token/ERC721/ERC721.behavior.js b/test/token/ERC721/ERC721.behavior.js
index cab4330c4..aaec0b8f2 100644
--- a/test/token/ERC721/ERC721.behavior.js
+++ b/test/token/ERC721/ERC721.behavior.js
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ function shouldBehaveLikeERC721 (errorPrefix, owner, newOwner, approved, another
           it('reverts', async function () {
             await expectRevert(
               transferFunction.call(this, owner, other, nonExistentTokenId, { from: owner }),
-              'ERC721: operator query for nonexistent token',
+              'ERC721: owner query for nonexistent token',
             );
           });
         });
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ function shouldBehaveLikeERC721 (errorPrefix, owner, newOwner, approved, another
                     nonExistentTokenId,
                     { from: owner },
                   ),
-                  'ERC721: operator query for nonexistent token',
+                  'ERC721: owner query for nonexistent token',
                 );
               });
             });
diff --git a/test/token/ERC721/extensions/ERC721Burnable.test.js b/test/token/ERC721/extensions/ERC721Burnable.test.js
index bbf56e6a7..60abea65d 100644
--- a/test/token/ERC721/extensions/ERC721Burnable.test.js
+++ b/test/token/ERC721/extensions/ERC721Burnable.test.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ contract('ERC721Burnable', function (accounts) {
       describe('when the given token ID was not tracked by this contract', function () {
         it('reverts', async function () {
           await expectRevert(
-            this.token.burn(unknownTokenId, { from: owner }), 'ERC721: operator query for nonexistent token',
+            this.token.burn(unknownTokenId, { from: owner }), 'ERC721: owner query for nonexistent token',
           );
         });
       });