diff --git a/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h b/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h
index f3fa420245..166aaddd29 100644
--- a/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h
+++ b/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ struct Visitor
                            Error **errp);
     void (*end_optional)(Visitor *v, Error **errp);
 
-    void (*start_handle)(Visitor *v, void **obj, const char *kind,
-                         const char *name, Error **errp);
-    void (*end_handle)(Visitor *v, Error **errp);
     void (*type_uint8)(Visitor *v, uint8_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
     void (*type_uint16)(Visitor *v, uint16_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
     void (*type_uint32)(Visitor *v, uint32_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
diff --git a/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c b/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c
index 6451a21a28..1f7475c0f3 100644
--- a/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c
+++ b/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c
@@ -17,21 +17,6 @@
 #include "qapi/visitor.h"
 #include "qapi/visitor-impl.h"
 
-void visit_start_handle(Visitor *v, void **obj, const char *kind,
-                        const char *name, Error **errp)
-{
-    if (!error_is_set(errp) && v->start_handle) {
-        v->start_handle(v, obj, kind, name, errp);
-    }
-}
-
-void visit_end_handle(Visitor *v, Error **errp)
-{
-    if (!error_is_set(errp) && v->end_handle) {
-        v->end_handle(v, errp);
-    }
-}
-
 void visit_start_struct(Visitor *v, void **obj, const char *kind,
                         const char *name, size_t size, Error **errp)
 {