diff --git a/lib/ns/client.c b/lib/ns/client.c
index 2f5c1dd2a1..7fa7386bba 100644
--- a/lib/ns/client.c
+++ b/lib/ns/client.c
@@ -1672,7 +1672,6 @@ ns__client_put_cb(void *client0) {
 	client_extendederror_reset(client);
 
 	client->magic = 0;
-	client->shuttingdown = true;
 
 	isc_mem_put(manager->mctx, client->sendbuf, NS_CLIENT_SEND_BUFFER_SIZE);
 	if (client->opt != NULL) {
@@ -2364,11 +2363,6 @@ cleanup:
 	return (result);
 }
 
-bool
-ns_client_shuttingdown(ns_client_t *client) {
-	return (client->shuttingdown);
-}
-
 /***
  *** Client Manager
  ***/
diff --git a/lib/ns/include/ns/client.h b/lib/ns/include/ns/client.h
index efd98a9912..e26f14ff9d 100644
--- a/lib/ns/include/ns/client.h
+++ b/lib/ns/include/ns/client.h
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ struct ns_client {
 	ns_clientstate_t state;
 	int		 nupdates;
 	bool		 nodetach;
-	bool		 shuttingdown;
 	unsigned int	 attributes;
 	dns_view_t	   *view;
 	dns_dispatch_t  *dispatch;
@@ -316,12 +315,6 @@ ns_client_drop(ns_client_t *client, isc_result_t result);
  * will be sent.
  */
 
-bool
-ns_client_shuttingdown(ns_client_t *client);
-/*%<
- * Return true iff the client is currently shutting down.
- */
-
 isc_result_t
 ns_client_replace(ns_client_t *client);
 /*%<
diff --git a/lib/ns/query.c b/lib/ns/query.c
index 3ec00258ad..cb1a579307 100644
--- a/lib/ns/query.c
+++ b/lib/ns/query.c
@@ -6121,7 +6121,6 @@ fetch_callback(isc_task_t *task, isc_event_t *event) {
 	ns_client_t *client = NULL;
 	bool fetch_canceled = false;
 	bool fetch_answered = false;
-	bool client_shuttingdown = false;
 	isc_logcategory_t *logcategory = NS_LOGCATEGORY_QUERY_ERRORS;
 	isc_result_t result;
 	int errorloglevel;
@@ -6218,8 +6217,7 @@ fetch_callback(isc_task_t *task, isc_event_t *event) {
 	 */
 	qctx_init(client, &devent, 0, &qctx);
 
-	client_shuttingdown = ns_client_shuttingdown(client);
-	if (fetch_canceled || fetch_answered || client_shuttingdown) {
+	if (fetch_canceled || fetch_answered) {
 		/*
 		 * We've timed out or are shutting down. We can now
 		 * free the event and other resources held by qctx, but