diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/handle.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/handle.rs
index 3263697eb7..77e496acff 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/handle.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/handle.rs
@@ -634,39 +634,13 @@ mod tests {
         //
         // fill the cache
         //
-        assert_eq!(
-            (Arc::strong_count(&shard0), Arc::weak_count(&shard0)),
-            (2, 1),
-            "strong: shard0, mgr; weak: myself"
-        );
-
         let handle: Handle<_> = cache
             .get(timeline_id, ShardSelector::Page(key), &mgr)
             .await
             .expect("we have the timeline");
-        let handle_inner_weak = Arc::downgrade(&handle.timeline);
         assert!(Weak::ptr_eq(&handle.myself, &shard0.myself));
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     (
-        //         Weak::strong_count(&handle_inner_weak),
-        //         Weak::weak_count(&handle_inner_weak)
-        //     ),
-        //     (2, 2),
-        //     "strong: handle, per_timeline_state, weak: handle_inner_weak, cache"
-        // );
         assert_eq!(cache.map.len(), 1);
-
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     (Arc::strong_count(&shard0), Arc::weak_count(&shard0)),
-        //     (3, 1),
-        //     "strong: handleinner(per_timeline_state), shard0, mgr; weak: myself"
-        // );
         drop(handle);
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     (Arc::strong_count(&shard0), Arc::weak_count(&shard0)),
-        //     (3, 1),
-        //     "strong: handleinner(per_timeline_state), shard0, mgr; weak: myself"
-        // );
 
         //
         // demonstrate that Handle holds up gate closure
@@ -691,21 +665,11 @@ mod tests {
         // SHUTDOWN
         shard0.per_timeline_state.shutdown().await; // keeping handle alive across shutdown
 
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     1,
-        //     Weak::strong_count(&handle_inner_weak),
-        //     "through local var handle"
-        // );
         assert_eq!(
             cache.map.len(),
             1,
             "this is an implementation detail but worth pointing out: we can't clear the cache from shutdown(), it's cleared on first access after"
         );
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     (Arc::strong_count(&shard0), Arc::weak_count(&shard0)),
-        //     (3, 1),
-        //     "strong: handleinner(via handle), shard0, mgr; weak: myself"
-        // );
 
         // this handle is perfectly usable
         handle.getpage();
@@ -729,16 +693,6 @@ mod tests {
         }
 
         drop(handle);
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     0,
-        //     Weak::strong_count(&handle_inner_weak),
-        //     "the HandleInner destructor already ran"
-        // );
-        // assert_eq!(
-        //     (Arc::strong_count(&shard0), Arc::weak_count(&shard0)),
-        //     (2, 1),
-        //     "strong: shard0, mgr; weak: myself"
-        // );
 
         // closing gate succeeds after dropping handle
         tokio::select! {
@@ -757,10 +711,8 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(cache.map.len(), 0);
 
         // ensure all refs to shard0 are gone and we're not leaking anything
-        let myself = Weak::clone(&shard0.myself);
         drop(shard0);
         drop(mgr);
-        // assert_eq!(Weak::strong_count(&myself), 0);
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
@@ -1002,12 +954,8 @@ mod tests {
             used_handles.push(Arc::downgrade(&handle.timeline));
         }
 
-        // No handles exist, thus gates are closed and don't require shutdown
-        // assert!(used_handles
-        //     .iter()
-        //     .all(|weak| Weak::strong_count(weak) == 0));
-
-        // ... thus the gate should close immediately, even without shutdown
+        // No handles exist, thus gates are closed and don't require shutdown.
+        // Thus the gate should close immediately, even without shutdown.
         tokio::select! {
             _ = shard0.gate.close() => { }
             _ = tokio::time::sleep(FOREVER) => {