diff --git a/spec/helpers/doNotUnsubscribe.ts b/spec/helpers/doNotUnsubscribe.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 29341119a6..0000000000
--- a/spec/helpers/doNotUnsubscribe.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-///<reference path='../../typings/index.d.ts'/>
-import * as Rx from '../../dist/cjs/Rx';
-
-export function doNotUnsubscribe<T>(ob: Rx.Observable<T>): Rx.Observable<T> {
-  return ob.lift(new DoNotUnsubscribeOperator());
-}
-
-class DoNotUnsubscribeOperator<T, R> implements Rx.Operator<T, R> {
-  call(subscriber: Rx.Subscriber<R>, source: any): any {
-    return source.subscribe(new DoNotUnsubscribeSubscriber(subscriber));
-  }
-}
-
-class DoNotUnsubscribeSubscriber<T> extends Rx.Subscriber<T> {
-  unsubscribe() {} // tslint:disable-line no-empty
-}
diff --git a/spec/operators/first-spec.ts b/spec/operators/first-spec.ts
index 395d7ca322..91f031dfbb 100644
--- a/spec/operators/first-spec.ts
+++ b/spec/operators/first-spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import {expect} from 'chai';
 import * as Rx from '../../dist/cjs/Rx';
 import marbleTestingSignature = require('../helpers/marble-testing'); // tslint:disable-line:no-require-imports
-import { doNotUnsubscribe } from '../helpers/doNotUnsubscribe';
 
 declare const { asDiagram };
 declare const hot: typeof marbleTestingSignature.hot;
@@ -221,41 +220,6 @@ describe('Observable.prototype.first', () => {
     expectSubscriptions(e1.subscriptions).toBe(sub);
   });
 
-  it('should unsubscribe from the source after first value, even if destination doesn\'t unsubscribe', () => {
-    const e1 = hot('--^---a---|');
-    const sub =      '^---!';
-    const expected = '----(a|)';
-
-    const result = e1.first().let(doNotUnsubscribe);
-
-    expectObservable(result).toBe(expected);
-    expectSubscriptions(e1.subscriptions).toBe(sub);
-  });
-
-  it('should unsubscribe from the source after completion without value,' +
-    ' even if destination doesn\'t unsubscribe', () => {
-    const e1 = hot('--^---|');
-    const sub =      '^---!';
-    const expected = '----(a|)';
-
-    const result = e1.first(undefined, undefined, 'a').let(doNotUnsubscribe);
-
-    expectObservable(result).toBe(expected);
-    expectSubscriptions(e1.subscriptions).toBe(sub);
-  });
-
-  it('should unsubscribe from the source after erroring without value,' +
-    ' even if destination doesn\'t unsubscribe', () => {
-    const e1 = hot('--^---|');
-    const sub =      '^---!';
-    const expected = '----#';
-
-    const result = e1.first().let(doNotUnsubscribe);
-
-    expectObservable(result).toBe(expected, undefined, new Rx.EmptyError());
-    expectSubscriptions(e1.subscriptions).toBe(sub);
-  });
-
   it('should support type guards without breaking previous behavior', () => {
     // tslint:disable no-unused-variable
 
diff --git a/src/operator/first.ts b/src/operator/first.ts
index 77180fb5e7..cb6d09baf4 100644
--- a/src/operator/first.ts
+++ b/src/operator/first.ts
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ class FirstSubscriber<T, R> extends Subscriber<T> {
       this._emitted = true;
       destination.next(value);
       destination.complete();
-      this.unsubscribe();
       this.hasCompleted = true;
     }
   }
@@ -166,10 +165,8 @@ class FirstSubscriber<T, R> extends Subscriber<T> {
     if (!this.hasCompleted && typeof this.defaultValue !== 'undefined') {
       destination.next(this.defaultValue);
       destination.complete();
-      this.unsubscribe();
     } else if (!this.hasCompleted) {
       destination.error(new EmptyError);
-      this.unsubscribe();
     }
   }
 }