diff --git a/include/empio.h b/include/empio.h
index 0dbf9af2..ab47fdf0 100644
--- a/include/empio.h
+++ b/include/empio.h
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ extern int io_read(struct iop *, char *, int);
 extern int io_write(struct iop *, char *, int);
 extern int io_gets(struct iop *, char *, int);
 extern int io_puts(struct iop *, char *);
-extern int io_shutdown(struct iop *, int);
 extern int io_error(struct iop *);
 extern int io_eof(struct iop *);
 extern void io_set_eof(struct iop *);
diff --git a/src/lib/empthread/io.c b/src/lib/empthread/io.c
index 0a44916d..6578c295 100644
--- a/src/lib/empthread/io.c
+++ b/src/lib/empthread/io.c
@@ -352,24 +352,6 @@ io_puts(struct iop *iop, char *buf)
     return ioq_puts(iop->output, buf);
 }
 
-int
-io_shutdown(struct iop *iop, int flags)
-{
-    flags &= (IO_READ | IO_WRITE);
-    if ((iop->flags & flags) != flags)
-	return -1;
-    if (flags & IO_READ) {
-	shutdown(iop->fd, 0);
-	ioq_drain(iop->input);
-    }
-    if (flags & IO_WRITE) {
-	shutdown(iop->fd, 1);
-	ioq_drain(iop->output);
-	iop->last_out = 0;
-    }
-    return 0;
-}
-
 int
 io_error(struct iop *iop)
 {