diff --git a/include/crtools.h b/include/crtools.h
index fa0dff596..90b30f3f4 100644
--- a/include/crtools.h
+++ b/include/crtools.h
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ extern void close_image_dir(void);
 
 int open_image(int type, unsigned long flags, ...);
 #define open_image_ro(type, ...) open_image(type, O_RDONLY, ##__VA_ARGS__)
-extern int open_image_ro_nocheck(const char *fmt, ...);
 
 #define LAST_PID_PATH		"/proc/sys/kernel/ns_last_pid"
 #define LAST_PID_PERM		0666
diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index 2da09dccb..7b25367e1 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -129,23 +129,6 @@ int move_img_fd(int *img_fd, int want_fd)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int open_image_ro_nocheck(const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
-	va_list args;
-	int tmp;
-
-	va_start(args, fmt);
-	vsprintf(path, fmt, args);
-	va_end(args);
-
-	tmp = openat(image_dir_fd, path, O_RDONLY);
-	if (tmp < 0)
-		pr_warn("Can't open image %s: %m\n", path);
-
-	return tmp;
-}
-
 int open_image(int type, unsigned long flags, ...)
 {
 	char path[PATH_MAX];