diff --git a/src/containers/table.zig b/src/containers/table.zig
index ce46b8f..1affd83 100644
--- a/src/containers/table.zig
+++ b/src/containers/table.zig
@@ -137,9 +137,10 @@ pub fn Table(comptime K: type, comptime V: type) type {
             }
         }
 
+        /// Remove the item from the table. This will panic if the item does not exist in the table.
+        /// to check first, use tryRemove instead.
         pub fn remove(self: *Self, id: Id) !V {
             assert(self.len > 0);
-
             try self.free_list.push(id.index);
             const index = id.index;
 
@@ -156,6 +157,11 @@ pub fn Table(comptime K: type, comptime V: type) type {
             return val;
         }
 
+        /// Attempt to remove an item from the table, returning null if it does not exist.
+        pub fn tryRemove(self: *Self, id: Id) !?V {
+            return if (self.exists(id)) self.remove(id) else null;
+        }
+
         pub fn getPtr(self: *Self, id: Id) ?*V {
             return if (self.exists(id)) &(self.values.items[id.index] orelse unreachable) else null;
         }
@@ -338,6 +344,17 @@ pub fn RefTable(comptime K: type, comptime V: type) type {
             return self.table.size();
         }
 
+        pub fn tryRemove(self: *Self, id: Id) !?V {
+            if (self.table.tryRemove(id)) |v| {
+                self.ref_counts.items[id.index] = 0;
+                return v;
+            }
+
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        /// Remove an item from the table. This panics if the item is not already present.
+        /// use tryRemove to verify the item is present.
         pub fn remove(self: *Self, id: Id) !V {
             self.ref_counts.items[id.index] = 0;
             return self.table.remove(id);