diff --git a/include/block/aio.h b/include/block/aio.h
index f08b358077..af05512a7d 100644
--- a/include/block/aio.h
+++ b/include/block/aio.h
@@ -278,23 +278,6 @@ void aio_context_ref(AioContext *ctx);
  */
 void aio_context_unref(AioContext *ctx);
 
-/* Take ownership of the AioContext.  If the AioContext will be shared between
- * threads, and a thread does not want to be interrupted, it will have to
- * take ownership around calls to aio_poll().  Otherwise, aio_poll()
- * automatically takes care of calling aio_context_acquire and
- * aio_context_release.
- *
- * Note that this is separate from bdrv_drained_begin/bdrv_drained_end.  A
- * thread still has to call those to avoid being interrupted by the guest.
- *
- * Bottom halves, timers and callbacks can be created or removed without
- * acquiring the AioContext.
- */
-void aio_context_acquire(AioContext *ctx);
-
-/* Relinquish ownership of the AioContext. */
-void aio_context_release(AioContext *ctx);
-
 /**
  * aio_bh_schedule_oneshot_full: Allocate a new bottom half structure that will
  * run only once and as soon as possible.
diff --git a/util/async.c b/util/async.c
index dfd44ef612..460529057c 100644
--- a/util/async.c
+++ b/util/async.c
@@ -719,16 +719,6 @@ void aio_context_unref(AioContext *ctx)
     g_source_unref(&ctx->source);
 }
 
-void aio_context_acquire(AioContext *ctx)
-{
-    /* TODO remove this function */
-}
-
-void aio_context_release(AioContext *ctx)
-{
-    /* TODO remove this function */
-}
-
 QEMU_DEFINE_STATIC_CO_TLS(AioContext *, my_aiocontext)
 
 AioContext *qemu_get_current_aio_context(void)