diff --git a/ldclient/impl/stubs.py b/ldclient/impl/stubs.py
index 897bbc3d..58b7193f 100644
--- a/ldclient/impl/stubs.py
+++ b/ldclient/impl/stubs.py
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ def start(self):
     def stop(self):
         pass
 
-    def is_alive(self):
-        return False
-
     def send_event(self, event):
         pass
 
@@ -36,9 +33,6 @@ def start(self):
     def stop(self):
         pass
 
-    def is_alive(self):
-        return False
-
     def initialized(self):
         return True
 
@@ -54,9 +48,6 @@ def start(self):
     async def stop(self):
         pass
 
-    def is_alive(self):
-        return False
-
     def send_event(self, event):
         pass
 
diff --git a/ldclient/interfaces.py b/ldclient/interfaces.py
index 0ecd6026..a6b30278 100644
--- a/ldclient/interfaces.py
+++ b/ldclient/interfaces.py
@@ -526,37 +526,25 @@ async def initialized_internal(self) -> bool:
     # not declared here as required methods.
 
 
-# Internal use only. Common methods for components that perform a task in the background.
-class BackgroundOperation:
+class UpdateProcessor(ABC):
+    """
+    Interface for the component that obtains feature flag data in some way and passes it to a
+    :class:`FeatureStore`. The built-in implementations of this are the client's standard streaming
+    or polling behavior. For testing purposes, there is also :func:`ldclient.integrations.Files.new_data_source()`.
+    """
 
-    # noinspection PyMethodMayBeStatic
     def start(self):
         """
-        Starts an operation in the background.  Should return immediately and not block.
+        Starts the update processor in the background. Returns immediately and does not block.
         """
         pass
 
     def stop(self):
         """
-        Stops an operation running in the background.  May return before the operation is actually stopped.
+        Stops the update processor. Can return before the background work stops.
         """
         pass
 
-    # noinspection PyMethodMayBeStatic
-    def is_alive(self) -> bool:
-        """
-        Returns whether the operation is alive or not
-        """
-        return True
-
-
-class UpdateProcessor(BackgroundOperation, ABC):
-    """
-    Interface for the component that obtains feature flag data in some way and passes it to a
-    :class:`FeatureStore`. The built-in implementations of this are the client's standard streaming
-    or polling behavior. For testing purposes, there is also :func:`ldclient.integrations.Files.new_data_source()`.
-    """
-
     def initialized(self) -> bool:  # type: ignore[empty-body]
         """
         Returns whether the update processor has received feature flags and has initialized its feature store.
diff --git a/ldclient/testing/mock_async_components.py b/ldclient/testing/mock_async_components.py
index c2654ef1..02462f32 100644
--- a/ldclient/testing/mock_async_components.py
+++ b/ldclient/testing/mock_async_components.py
@@ -77,6 +77,3 @@ async def stop(self):
 
     def initialized(self) -> bool:
         return True
-
-    def is_alive(self) -> bool:
-        return True
diff --git a/ldclient/testing/stub_util.py b/ldclient/testing/stub_util.py
index 28b11758..eed42571 100644
--- a/ldclient/testing/stub_util.py
+++ b/ldclient/testing/stub_util.py
@@ -68,9 +68,6 @@ def stop(self):
     def start(self):
         self._running = True
 
-    def is_alive(self):
-        return self._running
-
     def send_event(self, event):
         self._events.append(event)
 
@@ -176,9 +173,6 @@ def start(self):
     def stop(self):
         pass
 
-    def is_alive(self):
-        return True
-
     def initialized(self):
         return True