diff --git a/pandas/tests/io/test_html.py b/pandas/tests/io/test_html.py
index 9263bc142e585..0ea1203359153 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/io/test_html.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/io/test_html.py
@@ -1280,9 +1280,14 @@ def seek(self, offset):
             def seekable(self):
                 return True
 
+            # GH 49036 pylint checks for presence of __next__ for iterators
+            def __next__(self):
+                ...
+
             def __iter__(self) -> Iterator:
-                # to fool `is_file_like`, should never end up here
-                assert False
+                # `is_file_like` depends on the presence of
+                # the __iter__ attribute.
+                return self
 
         good = MockFile("<table><tr><td>spam<br />eggs</td></tr></table>")
         bad = MockFile("<table><tr><td>spam<foobr />eggs</td></tr></table>")
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2232a00a9aa89..00467a5dfe206 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ disable = [
   "no-method-argument",
   "no-name-in-module",
   "no-value-for-parameter",
-  "non-iterator-returned",
   "not-an-iterable",
   "not-callable",
   "redundant-keyword-arg",