diff --git a/cmd/blockchaincmd/remove_validator.go b/cmd/blockchaincmd/remove_validator.go
index 34ea1b56a..d6c625483 100644
--- a/cmd/blockchaincmd/remove_validator.go
+++ b/cmd/blockchaincmd/remove_validator.go
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/blockchain"
-
-	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/api/info"
-	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/logging"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/cobrautils"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/constants"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/contract"
@@ -27,11 +22,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/ux"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/validatormanager"
 	sdkutils "github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/sdk/utils"
+	validatorsdk "github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/sdk/validator"
 	validatormanagerSDK "github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/sdk/validatormanager"
-	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/genesis"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/api/info"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/ids"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/logging"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/vms/platformvm/warp"
-	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/vms/secp256k1fx"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -99,6 +97,7 @@ func removeValidator(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	if network.ClusterName != "" {
 		network = models.ConvertClusterToNetwork(network)
 	}
+
 	// TODO: will estimate fee in subsecuent PR
 	fee := uint64(0)
 	kc, err := keychain.GetKeychainFromCmdLineFlags(
@@ -116,19 +115,10 @@ func removeValidator(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 	network.HandlePublicNetworkSimulation()
 
-	if !sc.Sovereign {
-		if outputTxPath != "" {
-			return errors.New("--output-tx-path flag cannot be used for non-SOV (Subnet-Only Validators) blockchains")
-		}
-
-		if len(subnetAuthKeys) > 0 {
-			return errors.New("--subnetAuthKeys flag cannot be used for non-SOV (Subnet-Only Validators) blockchains")
-		}
-	}
-	if outputTxPath != "" {
-		if _, err := os.Stat(outputTxPath); err == nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("outputTxPath %q already exists", outputTxPath)
-		}
+	scNetwork := sc.Networks[network.Name()]
+	subnetID := scNetwork.SubnetID
+	if subnetID == ids.Empty {
+		return errNoSubnetID
 	}
 
 	var nodeID ids.NodeID
@@ -153,19 +143,31 @@ func removeValidator(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if network.Kind == models.Local && !sc.Sovereign {
-		return removeFromLocalNonSOV(blockchainName, nodeID)
+	validatorKind, err := validatorsdk.IsSovereignValidator(network.SDKNetwork(), subnetID, nodeID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if validatorKind == validatorsdk.NonValidator {
+		return fmt.Errorf("node %s is not a validator of subnet %s on %s", nodeID, subnetID, network.Name())
 	}
 
-	scNetwork := sc.Networks[network.Name()]
-	subnetID := scNetwork.SubnetID
-	if subnetID == ids.Empty {
-		return errNoSubnetID
+	if validatorKind == validatorsdk.SovereignValidator {
+		if outputTxPath != "" {
+			return errors.New("--output-tx-path flag cannot be used for non-SOV (Subnet-Only Validators) blockchains")
+		}
+
+		if len(subnetAuthKeys) > 0 {
+			return errors.New("--subnetAuthKeys flag cannot be used for non-SOV (Subnet-Only Validators) blockchains")
+		}
+	}
+	if outputTxPath != "" {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(outputTxPath); err == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("outputTxPath %q already exists", outputTxPath)
+		}
 	}
 
 	deployer := subnet.NewPublicDeployer(app, kc, network)
-	// check that this guy actually is a validator on the subnet
-	if !sc.Sovereign {
+	if validatorKind == validatorsdk.NonSovereignValidator {
 		isValidator, err := subnet.IsSubnetValidator(subnetID, nodeID, network)
 		if err != nil {
 			// just warn the user, don't fail
@@ -433,41 +435,3 @@ func removeValidatorNonSOV(deployer *subnet.PublicDeployer, network models.Netwo
 	}
 	return err
 }
-
-func removeFromLocalNonSOV(
-	blockchainName string,
-	nodeID ids.NodeID,
-) error {
-	sc, err := app.LoadSidecar(blockchainName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	subnetID := sc.Networks[models.Local.String()].SubnetID
-	if subnetID == ids.Empty {
-		return errNoSubnetID
-	}
-
-	// Get NodeIDs of all validators on the subnet
-	validators, err := subnet.GetSubnetValidators(subnetID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// construct list of validators to choose from
-	validatorList := make([]string, len(validators))
-	for i, v := range validators {
-		validatorList[i] = v.NodeID.String()
-	}
-
-	testKey := genesis.EWOQKey
-	keyChain := secp256k1fx.NewKeychain(testKey)
-	_, err = subnet.IssueRemoveSubnetValidatorTx(keyChain, subnetID, nodeID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	ux.Logger.PrintToUser("Validator removed")
-
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/sdk/validator/validator.go b/sdk/validator/validator.go
index 957552763..0c95a02f7 100644
--- a/sdk/validator/validator.go
+++ b/sdk/validator/validator.go
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 )
 
+type ValidatorKind int64
+
+const (
+	UndefinedValidatorKind ValidatorKind = iota
+	NonValidator
+	SovereignValidator
+	NonSovereignValidator
+)
+
 func GetTotalWeight(net network.Network, subnetID ids.ID) (uint64, error) {
 	pClient := platformvm.NewClient(net.Endpoint)
 	ctx, cancel := utils.GetAPIContext()
@@ -89,3 +98,26 @@ func GetRegisteredValidator(
 	}
 	return validatorID, nil
 }
+
+func IsSovereignValidator(
+	network network.Network,
+	subnetID ids.ID,
+	nodeID ids.NodeID,
+) (ValidatorKind, error) {
+	pClient := platformvm.NewClient(network.Endpoint)
+	ctx, cancel := utils.GetAPIContext()
+	defer cancel()
+	vs, err := pClient.GetCurrentValidators(ctx, subnetID, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return UndefinedValidatorKind, err
+	}
+	for _, v := range vs {
+		if v.NodeID == nodeID {
+			if v.TxID == ids.Empty {
+				return SovereignValidator, nil
+			}
+			return NonSovereignValidator, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return NonValidator, nil
+}