diff --git a/beets/importer.py b/beets/importer.py
index ff8e6284b..0fc11f660 100644
--- a/beets/importer.py
+++ b/beets/importer.py
@@ -487,24 +487,14 @@ class ImportTask(object):
         elif self.choice_flag == action.APPLY:
             # Applying autotagged metadata. Just get AA from the first
             # item.
-            # FIXME this is overly complicated. Can we assume that
-            # `self.items` contains only elements that are not none and
-            # at least one of them?
-            for item in self.items:
-                if item is not None:
-                    first_item = item
-                    break
-            else:
-                assert False, "all items are None"
-            if not first_item.albumartist:
-                changes['albumartist'] = first_item.artist
-            if not first_item.mb_albumartistid:
-                changes['mb_albumartistid'] = first_item.mb_artistid
+            if not self.items[0].albumartist:
+                changes['albumartist'] = self.items[0].artist
+            if not self.items[0].mb_albumartistid:
+                changes['mb_albumartistid'] = self.items[0].mb_artistid
 
         # Apply new metadata.
         for item in self.items:
-            if item is not None:
-                item.update(changes)
+            item.update(changes)
 
     def manipulate_files(self, move=False, copy=False, write=False,
                          session=None):
diff --git a/test/test_importer.py b/test/test_importer.py
index bf37b21b4..371e9ab1c 100644
--- a/test/test_importer.py
+++ b/test/test_importer.py
@@ -947,13 +947,6 @@ class InferAlbumDataTest(_common.TestCase):
         self.task.infer_album_fields()
         self.assertFalse(self.items[0].comp)
 
-    def test_first_item_null_apply(self):
-        self.items[0] = None
-        self.task.set_choice(AlbumMatch(0, None, {}, set(), set()))  # APPLY
-        self.task.infer_album_fields()
-        self.assertFalse(self.items[1].comp)
-        self.assertEqual(self.items[1].albumartist, self.items[2].artist)
-
 
 class ImportDuplicateAlbumTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):