diff --git a/packages/transport-webrtc/src/private-to-public/transport.ts b/packages/transport-webrtc/src/private-to-public/transport.ts
index c3430683d3..1e6dd936eb 100644
--- a/packages/transport-webrtc/src/private-to-public/transport.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-webrtc/src/private-to-public/transport.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import { noise } from '@chainsafe/libp2p-noise'
 import { transportSymbol, serviceCapabilities, InvalidParametersError } from '@libp2p/interface'
-import * as p from '@libp2p/peer-id'
+import { peerIdFromString } from '@libp2p/peer-id'
 import { protocols } from '@multiformats/multiaddr'
 import { WebRTCDirect } from '@multiformats/multiaddr-matcher'
 import * as Digest from 'multiformats/hashes/digest'
 import { concat } from 'uint8arrays/concat'
 import { fromString as uint8arrayFromString } from 'uint8arrays/from-string'
-import { DataChannelError, InappropriateMultiaddrError, UnimplementedError } from '../error.js'
+import { DataChannelError, UnimplementedError } from '../error.js'
 import { WebRTCMultiaddrConnection } from '../maconn.js'
 import { DataChannelMuxerFactory } from '../muxer.js'
 import { createStream } from '../stream.js'
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ export class WebRTCDirectTransport implements Transport {
     const controller = new AbortController()
     const signal = controller.signal
 
+    let remotePeer: PeerId | undefined
     const remotePeerString = ma.getPeerId()
-    if (remotePeerString === null) {
-      throw new InappropriateMultiaddrError("we need to have the remote's PeerId")
+    if (remotePeerString != null) {
+      remotePeer = peerIdFromString(remotePeerString)
     }
-    const theirPeerId = p.peerIdFromString(remotePeerString)
 
     const remoteCerthash = sdp.decodeCerthash(sdp.certhash(ma))
 
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ export class WebRTCDirectTransport implements Transport {
       // Therefore, we need to secure an inbound noise connection from the remote.
       await connectionEncrypter.secureInbound(wrappedDuplex, {
         signal,
-        remotePeer: theirPeerId
+        remotePeer
       })
 
       return await options.upgrader.upgradeOutbound(maConn, { skipProtection: true, skipEncryption: true, muxerFactory })
diff --git a/packages/transport-webrtc/test/transport.spec.ts b/packages/transport-webrtc/test/transport.spec.ts
index bcde79bf60..b323ec9dd6 100644
--- a/packages/transport-webrtc/test/transport.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-webrtc/test/transport.spec.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import { expect } from 'aegir/chai'
 import { stubInterface } from 'sinon-ts'
 import { UnimplementedError } from '../src/error.js'
 import { WebRTCDirectTransport, type WebRTCDirectTransportComponents } from '../src/private-to-public/transport.js'
-import { expectError } from './util.js'
 import type { Upgrader } from '@libp2p/interface'
 
 describe('WebRTCDirect Transport', () => {
@@ -81,18 +80,4 @@ describe('WebRTCDirect Transport', () => {
       ...invalid
     ])).to.deep.equal(valid)
   })
-
-  it('throws WebRTC transport error when dialing a multiaddr without a PeerId', async () => {
-    const ma = multiaddr('/ip4/1.2.3.4/udp/1234/webrtc-direct/certhash/uEiAUqV7kzvM1wI5DYDc1RbcekYVmXli_Qprlw3IkiEg6tQ')
-    const transport = new WebRTCDirectTransport(components)
-
-    try {
-      await transport.dial(ma, {
-        upgrader: stubInterface<Upgrader>()
-      })
-    } catch (error: any) {
-      const expected = 'WebRTC transport error: There was a problem with the Multiaddr which was passed in: we need to have the remote\'s PeerId'
-      expectError(error, expected)
-    }
-  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/transport-webrtc/test/util.ts b/packages/transport-webrtc/test/util.ts
index fe3b3b42d2..d1af0108b6 100644
--- a/packages/transport-webrtc/test/util.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-webrtc/test/util.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
-import { expect } from 'aegir/chai'
 import * as lengthPrefixed from 'it-length-prefixed'
 import { Message } from '../src/pb/message.js'
 
-export const expectError = (error: unknown, message: string): void => {
-  if (error instanceof Error) {
-    expect(error.message).to.equal(message)
-  } else {
-    expect('Did not throw error:').to.equal(message)
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * simulates receiving a FIN_ACK on the passed datachannel
  */