diff --git a/main-loop.c b/main-loop.c
index eb3b6e6253..baefe413d1 100644
--- a/main-loop.c
+++ b/main-loop.c
@@ -199,10 +199,13 @@ static int qemu_signal_init(void)
 }
 #endif
 
-int main_loop_init(void)
+int qemu_init_main_loop(void)
 {
     int ret;
 
+    init_clocks();
+    init_timer_alarm();
+
     qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
     ret = qemu_signal_init();
     if (ret) {
diff --git a/main-loop.h b/main-loop.h
index dce1cd9d7c..91a0aff9c7 100644
--- a/main-loop.h
+++ b/main-loop.h
@@ -42,16 +42,6 @@
  */
 int qemu_init_main_loop(void);
 
-/**
- * main_loop_init: Initializes main loop
- *
- * Internal (but shared for compatibility reasons) initialization routine
- * for the main loop. This should not be used by applications directly,
- * use qemu_init_main_loop() instead.
- *
- */
-int main_loop_init(void);
-
 /**
  * main_loop_wait: Run one iteration of the main loop.
  *
diff --git a/qemu-tool.c b/qemu-tool.c
index 84273ae077..28a4e8d42a 100644
--- a/qemu-tool.c
+++ b/qemu-tool.c
@@ -92,13 +92,6 @@ void qemu_clock_warp(QEMUClock *clock)
 {
 }
 
-int qemu_init_main_loop(void)
-{
-    init_clocks();
-    init_timer_alarm();
-    return main_loop_init();
-}
-
 void slirp_update_timeout(uint32_t *timeout)
 {
 }
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 9f99ef4763..b3186fa425 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2357,11 +2357,6 @@ static void free_and_trace(gpointer mem)
     free(mem);
 }
 
-int qemu_init_main_loop(void)
-{
-    return main_loop_init();
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 {
     int i;