diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index b5f76a4cf4..388591157c 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -1740,7 +1740,6 @@ extern int copy_file(const char *dst, const char *src, int mode);
 extern int copy_file_with_time(const char *dst, const char *src, int mode);
 
 extern void write_or_die(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count);
-extern int write_or_whine_pipe(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count, const char *msg);
 extern void fsync_or_die(int fd, const char *);
 
 extern ssize_t read_in_full(int fd, void *buf, size_t count);
diff --git a/write_or_die.c b/write_or_die.c
index 981687945a..073443247a 100644
--- a/write_or_die.c
+++ b/write_or_die.c
@@ -82,15 +82,3 @@ void write_or_die(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count)
 		die_errno("write error");
 	}
 }
-
-int write_or_whine_pipe(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count, const char *msg)
-{
-	if (write_in_full(fd, buf, count) < 0) {
-		check_pipe(errno);
-		fprintf(stderr, "%s: write error (%s)\n",
-			msg, strerror(errno));
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	return 1;
-}