diff --git a/engine/TelEngine.cpp b/engine/TelEngine.cpp
index b8e4877c..ee1f39e5 100644
--- a/engine/TelEngine.cpp
+++ b/engine/TelEngine.cpp
@@ -407,16 +407,6 @@ void GenObject::destruct()
     delete this;
 }
 
-
-void destruct(GenObject*& obj)
-{
-    GenObject* tmp = obj;
-    obj = 0;
-    if (tmp)
-	tmp->destruct();
-}
-
-
 static Mutex s_refmutex;
 
 RefObject::~RefObject()
diff --git a/yateclass.h b/yateclass.h
index 9bb642d4..a20fccc7 100644
--- a/yateclass.h
+++ b/yateclass.h
@@ -1573,13 +1573,6 @@ private:
     StringMatchPrivate* m_matches;
 };
 
-
-/**
- * Utility function to destruct and zero out a @ref GenObject pointer
- * @param obj Reference to the pointer to zero and destruct
- */
-YATE_API void destruct(GenObject*& obj);
-
 /**
  * Utility function to replace NULL string pointers with an empty string
  * @param str Pointer to a C string that may be NULL