diff --git a/rust/src/format/fragment.rs b/rust/src/format/fragment.rs
index 998e9b4f5d..0058de06d9 100644
--- a/rust/src/format/fragment.rs
+++ b/rust/src/format/fragment.rs
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ use std::collections::BTreeSet;
 
 use crate::datatypes::Schema;
 use crate::format::pb;
-use crate::io::deletion::{read_deletion_file, DeletionVector};
-use crate::io::ObjectStore;
 
 /// Lance Data File
 ///
@@ -134,15 +132,6 @@ impl Fragment {
             .into_iter()
             .collect()
     }
-
-    pub(crate) async fn deletion_vector(
-        &self,
-        object_store: &ObjectStore,
-    ) -> Option<DeletionVector> {
-        read_deletion_file(&object_store.base_path(), self, object_store)
-            .await
-            .unwrap()
-    }
 }
 
 impl From<&pb::DataFragment> for Fragment {
diff --git a/rust/src/io/reader.rs b/rust/src/io/reader.rs
index d0c3503f67..b6fb6c8439 100644
--- a/rust/src/io/reader.rs
+++ b/rust/src/io/reader.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ use futures::StreamExt;
 use object_store::path::Path;
 use prost::Message;
 
-use super::deletion::DeletionVector;
+use super::deletion::{read_deletion_file, DeletionVector};
 use super::ReadBatchParams;
 use crate::arrow::*;
 use crate::encodings::{dictionary::DictionaryDecoder, AsyncIndex};
@@ -217,11 +217,11 @@ impl FileReader {
             .map(|f| f.to_owned());
 
         let deletion_vector = match &fragment {
-            Some(frag) => frag.deletion_vector(object_store).await,
-            None => None,
+            Some(frag) => read_deletion_file(object_store.base_path(), frag, object_store).await,
+            None => Ok(None),
         };
 
-        Ok(Self {
+        deletion_vector.map(|deletion_vector| Self {
             object_reader: object_reader.into(),
             metadata,
             projection: Some(projection),