diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/Base64.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/Base64.java
index c1b63d09e4f..f14885892e1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/Base64.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/Base64.java
@@ -1224,97 +1224,6 @@ public class Base64 {
     }   // end decode
 
 
-    /**
-     * Attempts to decode Base64 data and deserialize a Java
-     * Object within. Returns <tt>null</tt> if there was an error.
-     *
-     * @param encodedObject The Base64 data to decode
-     * @return The decoded and deserialized object
-     * @throws NullPointerException   if encodedObject is null
-     * @throws java.io.IOException    if there is a general error
-     * @throws ClassNotFoundException if the decoded object is of a
-     *                                class that cannot be found by the JVM
-     * @since 1.5
-     */
-    public static Object decodeToObject(String encodedObject)
-            throws java.io.IOException, java.lang.ClassNotFoundException {
-        return decodeToObject(encodedObject, NO_OPTIONS, null);
-    }
-
-
-    /**
-     * Attempts to decode Base64 data and deserialize a Java
-     * Object within. Returns <tt>null</tt> if there was an error.
-     * If <tt>loader</tt> is not null, it will be the class loader
-     * used when deserializing.
-     *
-     * @param encodedObject The Base64 data to decode
-     * @param options       Various parameters related to decoding
-     * @param loader        Optional class loader to use in deserializing classes.
-     * @return The decoded and deserialized object
-     * @throws NullPointerException   if encodedObject is null
-     * @throws java.io.IOException    if there is a general error
-     * @throws ClassNotFoundException if the decoded object is of a
-     *                                class that cannot be found by the JVM
-     * @since 2.3.4
-     */
-    public static Object decodeToObject(
-            String encodedObject, int options, final ClassLoader loader)
-            throws java.io.IOException, java.lang.ClassNotFoundException {
-
-        // Decode and gunzip if necessary
-        byte[] objBytes = decode(encodedObject, options);
-
-        java.io.ByteArrayInputStream bais = null;
-        java.io.ObjectInputStream ois = null;
-        Object obj = null;
-
-        try {
-            bais = new java.io.ByteArrayInputStream(objBytes);
-
-            // If no custom class loader is provided, use Java's builtin OIS.
-            if (loader == null) {
-                ois = new java.io.ObjectInputStream(bais);
-            }   // end if: no loader provided
-
-            // Else make a customized object input stream that uses
-            // the provided class loader.
-            else {
-                ois = new java.io.ObjectInputStream(bais) {
-                    @Override
-                    public Class<?> resolveClass(java.io.ObjectStreamClass streamClass)
-                            throws java.io.IOException, ClassNotFoundException {
-                        Class<?> c = Class.forName(streamClass.getName(), false, loader);
-                        if (c == null) {
-                            return super.resolveClass(streamClass);
-                        } else {
-                            return c;   // Class loader knows of this class.
-                        }   // end else: not null
-                    }   // end resolveClass
-                };  // end ois
-            }   // end else: no custom class loader
-
-            obj = ois.readObject();
-        }   // end try
-        catch (java.io.IOException e) {
-            throw e;    // Catch and throw in order to execute finally{}
-        }   // end catch
-        catch (java.lang.ClassNotFoundException e) {
-            throw e;    // Catch and throw in order to execute finally{}
-        }   // end catch
-        finally {
-            try {
-                bais.close();
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-            }
-            try {
-                ois.close();
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-            }
-        }   // end finally
-
-        return obj;
-    }   // end decodeObject
 
     /* ********  I N N E R   C L A S S   I N P U T S T R E A M  ******** */