diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/LiveVersionMap.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/LiveVersionMap.java
index 5f4d0a227e0..9410a0b1807 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/LiveVersionMap.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/LiveVersionMap.java
@@ -399,14 +399,6 @@ final class LiveVersionMap implements ReferenceManager.RefreshListener, Accounta
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Caller has a lock, so that this uid will not be concurrently added/deleted by another thread.
-     */
-    DeleteVersionValue getTombstoneUnderLock(BytesRef uid) {
-        assert keyedLock.isHeldByCurrentThread(uid);
-        return tombstones.get(uid);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Called when this index is closed.
      */