diff --git a/openmc/material.py b/openmc/material.py
index de1b2187be..188ec2d471 100644
--- a/openmc/material.py
+++ b/openmc/material.py
@@ -407,6 +407,23 @@ class Material(IDManagerMixin):
             if nuclide == nuc.name:
                 self.nuclides.remove(nuc)
 
+    def remove_element(self, element):
+        """Remove an element from the material
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        element : str
+            Element to remove
+
+        """
+        cv.check_type('element', element, str)
+
+        # If the Material contains the element, delete it
+        for nuc in reversed(self.nuclides):
+            element_name = re.split(r'(\d+)', nuc)
+            if nuc == element_name:
+                self.nuclides.remove(nuc)
+
     def add_macroscopic(self, macroscopic):
         """Add a macroscopic to the material.  This will also set the
         density of the material to 1.0, unless it has been otherwise set,
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py
index 3a976da996..dda75c88be 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def test_remove_elements():
     m = openmc.Material()
     for elem, percent in [('Li', 1.0), ('Be', 1.0)]:
         m.add_element(elem, percent)
-    m.remove_nuclide('Li')
+    m.remove_element('Li')
     assert len(m.nuclides) == 1
     assert m.nuclides == ['Be9']
     assert m.nuclides[0].percent == 1.0