diff --git a/include/qemu/option.h b/include/qemu/option.h
index bdb6d218b4..a83c700323 100644
--- a/include/qemu/option.h
+++ b/include/qemu/option.h
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ int get_next_param_value(char *buf, int buf_size,
                          const char *tag, const char **pstr);
 int get_param_value(char *buf, int buf_size,
                     const char *tag, const char *str);
-int check_params(char *buf, int buf_size,
-                 const char * const *params, const char *str);
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/util/qemu-option.c b/util/qemu-option.c
index 8b74bf1f7a..412c425518 100644
--- a/util/qemu-option.c
+++ b/util/qemu-option.c
@@ -123,36 +123,6 @@ int get_param_value(char *buf, int buf_size,
     return get_next_param_value(buf, buf_size, tag, &str);
 }
 
-int check_params(char *buf, int buf_size,
-                 const char * const *params, const char *str)
-{
-    const char *p;
-    int i;
-
-    p = str;
-    while (*p != '\0') {
-        p = get_opt_name(buf, buf_size, p, '=');
-        if (*p != '=') {
-            return -1;
-        }
-        p++;
-        for (i = 0; params[i] != NULL; i++) {
-            if (!strcmp(params[i], buf)) {
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-        if (params[i] == NULL) {
-            return -1;
-        }
-        p = get_opt_value(NULL, 0, p);
-        if (*p != ',') {
-            break;
-        }
-        p++;
-    }
-    return 0;
-}
-
 /*
  * Searches an option list for an option with the given name
  */