diff --git a/activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/remove_method.rb b/activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/remove_method.rb
index 07d7c9b0183bde851db6d707ac85b75d605750b4..b76bc16ee1183440390077ec55254104972a1842 100644
--- a/activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/remove_method.rb
+++ b/activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/remove_method.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 class Module
   def remove_possible_method(method)
-    remove_method(method)
+    if method_defined?(method) || private_method_defined?(method)
+      remove_method(method)
+    end
   rescue NameError
+    # If the requested method is defined on a superclass or included module,
+    # method_defined? returns true but remove_method throws a NameError.
+    # Ignore this.
   end
 
   def redefine_method(method, &block)
     remove_possible_method(method)
     define_method(method, &block)
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end