diff --git a/include/block/block_int.h b/include/block/block_int.h
index 8205ccaa62..bb3d1c8a8c 100644
--- a/include/block/block_int.h
+++ b/include/block/block_int.h
@@ -1003,11 +1003,6 @@ typedef enum BlockMirrorBackingMode {
     MIRROR_LEAVE_BACKING_CHAIN,
 } BlockMirrorBackingMode;
 
-static inline BlockDriverState *backing_bs(BlockDriverState *bs)
-{
-    return bs->backing ? bs->backing->bs : NULL;
-}
-
 
 /* Essential block drivers which must always be statically linked into qemu, and
  * which therefore can be accessed without using bdrv_find_format() */