diff --git a/include/qemu/sockets.h b/include/qemu/sockets.h
index 5c326db232..ef6b5591f7 100644
--- a/include/qemu/sockets.h
+++ b/include/qemu/sockets.h
@@ -105,21 +105,6 @@ SocketAddress *socket_local_address(int fd, Error **errp);
  */
 SocketAddress *socket_remote_address(int fd, Error **errp);
 
-/**
- * socket_address_to_string:
- * @addr: the socket address struct
- * @errp: pointer to uninitialized error object
- *
- * Get the string representation of the socket
- * address. A pointer to the char array containing
- * string format will be returned, the caller is
- * required to release the returned value when no
- * longer required with g_free.
- *
- * Returns: the socket address in string format, or NULL on error
- */
-char *socket_address_to_string(struct SocketAddress *addr, Error **errp);
-
 /**
  * socket_address_flatten:
  * @addr: the socket address to flatten
diff --git a/util/qemu-sockets.c b/util/qemu-sockets.c
index d3e51089de..55b6c17f5f 100644
--- a/util/qemu-sockets.c
+++ b/util/qemu-sockets.c
@@ -1325,40 +1325,6 @@ SocketAddress *socket_remote_address(int fd, Error **errp)
     return socket_sockaddr_to_address(&ss, sslen, errp);
 }
 
-char *socket_address_to_string(struct SocketAddress *addr, Error **errp)
-{
-    char *buf;
-    InetSocketAddress *inet;
-
-    switch (addr->type) {
-    case SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_INET:
-        inet = &addr->u.inet;
-        if (strchr(inet->host, ':') == NULL) {
-            buf = g_strdup_printf("%s:%s", inet->host, inet->port);
-        } else {
-            buf = g_strdup_printf("[%s]:%s", inet->host, inet->port);
-        }
-        break;
-
-    case SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_UNIX:
-        buf = g_strdup(addr->u.q_unix.path);
-        break;
-
-    case SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_FD:
-        buf = g_strdup(addr->u.fd.str);
-        break;
-
-    case SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_VSOCK:
-        buf = g_strdup_printf("%s:%s",
-                              addr->u.vsock.cid,
-                              addr->u.vsock.port);
-        break;
-
-    default:
-        abort();
-    }
-    return buf;
-}
 
 SocketAddress *socket_address_flatten(SocketAddressLegacy *addr_legacy)
 {