diff --git a/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/embed/CliProtoHandler.java b/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/embed/CliProtoHandler.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 3df76b919f7..00000000000
--- a/qa/sql/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/qa/sql/embed/CliProtoHandler.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
- * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
- */
-package org.elasticsearch.xpack.qa.sql.embed;
-
-import org.elasticsearch.client.Client;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
-import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestChannel;
-import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestController;
-import org.elasticsearch.xpack.sql.cli.net.protocol.Proto;
-import org.elasticsearch.xpack.sql.plugin.RestSqlCliAction;
-
-import java.io.DataInput;
-import java.io.IOException;
-
-import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
-
-class CliProtoHandler extends ProtoHandler {
-    private final RestSqlCliAction action;
-
-    CliProtoHandler(Client client) {
-        super(client);
-        action = new RestSqlCliAction(Settings.EMPTY, mock(RestController.class));
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    protected void handle(RestChannel channel, DataInput in) throws IOException {
-        action.operation(Proto.INSTANCE.readRequest(in), client).accept(channel);
-    }
-}
\ No newline at end of file