diff --git a/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.tsx b/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.tsx
index 7d57188dd101..7f4297404c4e 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.tsx
+++ b/packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.tsx
@@ -1155,8 +1155,6 @@ export const UnifiedDataTable = ({
             />
           ) : (
             <EuiDataGridMemoized
-              // Using this as the `key` is a workaround for https://github.com/elastic/eui/issues/7962. This forces a re-render if the density is changed.
-              key={dataGridDensity}
               id={dataGridId}
               aria-describedby={randomId}
               aria-labelledby={ariaLabelledBy}
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/discover/group2_data_grid3/_data_grid_density.ts b/test/functional/apps/discover/group2_data_grid3/_data_grid_density.ts
index b50cd7e16cf0..e801b40a8003 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/discover/group2_data_grid3/_data_grid_density.ts
+++ b/test/functional/apps/discover/group2_data_grid3/_data_grid_density.ts
@@ -52,9 +52,7 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
       await dataGrid.changeDensityValue('Normal');
 
       // toggle the popover
-      // Right now changing the density closes the popover (see packages/kbn-unified-data-table/src/components/data_table.tsx:1144)
-      // When that workaround is removed we will need to uncomment this next line
-      // await dataGrid.clickGridSettings();
+      await dataGrid.clickGridSettings();
       await dataGrid.clickGridSettings();
       expect(await dataGrid.getCurrentDensityValue()).to.be('Normal');
     });
@@ -62,7 +60,6 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }: FtrProviderContext) {
     it('should persist the density selection after reloading the page', async () => {
       await dataGrid.clickGridSettings();
       await dataGrid.changeDensityValue('Expanded');
-      await dataGrid.clickGridSettings();
       expect(await dataGrid.getCurrentDensityValue()).to.be('Expanded');
 
       await browser.refresh();