diff --git a/defender/tests.py b/defender/tests.py
index 1ca1b72..17e9004 100644
--- a/defender/tests.py
+++ b/defender/tests.py
@@ -1176,3 +1176,6 @@ class TestUtils(DefenderTestCase):
             "defender:blocked:ip:192.168.24.24", "defender:blocked:"), "ip:192.168.24.24")
         self.assertEqual(utils.remove_prefix(
             "defender:blocked:username:johndoe", "defender:blocked:"), "username:johndoe")
+        self.assertEqual(utils.remove_prefix(
+            "defender:blocked:username:johndoe", "blocked:username:"),
+            "defender:blocked:username:johndoe")
diff --git a/defender/utils.py b/defender/utils.py
index def53b1..fb35fd0 100644
--- a/defender/utils.py
+++ b/defender/utils.py
@@ -129,14 +129,10 @@ def get_username_blocked_cache_key(username):
 
 
 def remove_prefix(string, prefix):
+    if string.startswith(prefix):
+        return string[len(prefix):]
+    return string
 
-    # backwards compatibility for str.removeprefix for python < 3.9
-    if sys.version_info < (3, 9):
-        if string.startswith(prefix):
-            return string[len(prefix) :]
-        return string
-
-    return string.removeprefix(prefix)
 
 
 def strip_keys(key_list):