diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index f74f7c206c..143419b4fc 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -6165,29 +6165,6 @@ static char
 }
 
 
-static int
-qemuConnectDomainXMLToNativePrepareHostHostdev(virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev G_GNUC_UNUSED)
-{
-    return 0;
-}
-
-
-static int
-qemuConnectDomainXMLToNativePrepareHost(virDomainObj *vm)
-{
-    size_t i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < vm->def->nhostdevs; i++) {
-        virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev = vm->def->hostdevs[i];
-
-        if (qemuConnectDomainXMLToNativePrepareHostHostdev(hostdev) < 0)
-            return -1;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-
 static char *qemuConnectDomainXMLToNative(virConnectPtr conn,
                                           const char *format,
                                           const char *xmlData,
@@ -6244,9 +6221,6 @@ static char *qemuConnectDomainXMLToNative(virConnectPtr conn,
                                            VIR_QEMU_PROCESS_START_COLD) < 0)
         return NULL;
 
-    if (qemuConnectDomainXMLToNativePrepareHost(vm) < 0)
-        return NULL;
-
     if (!(cmd = qemuProcessCreatePretendCmdBuild(vm, NULL)))
         return NULL;
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c b/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
index ba49bb76c5..7dced9ce0f 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_hotplug.c
@@ -2475,9 +2475,6 @@ qemuDomainAttachHostSCSIDevice(virQEMUDriver *driver,
 
     qemuAssignDeviceHostdevAlias(vm->def, &hostdev->info->alias, -1);
 
-    if (qemuProcessPrepareHostHostdev(hostdev) < 0)
-        goto cleanup;
-
     if (!(data = qemuBuildHostdevSCSIAttachPrepare(hostdev, &backendalias,
                                                    priv->qemuCaps)))
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index a294171678..c2bacfab8f 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -6509,29 +6509,6 @@ qemuProcessPrepareDomainHostdevs(virDomainObj *vm,
 }
 
 
-int
-qemuProcessPrepareHostHostdev(virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev G_GNUC_UNUSED)
-{
-    return 0;
-}
-
-
-static int
-qemuProcessPrepareHostHostdevs(virDomainObj *vm)
-{
-    size_t i;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < vm->def->nhostdevs; i++) {
-        virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev = vm->def->hostdevs[i];
-
-        if (qemuProcessPrepareHostHostdev(hostdev) < 0)
-            return -1;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-
 /**
  * qemuProcessRebootAllowed:
  * @def: domain definition
@@ -7233,10 +7210,6 @@ qemuProcessPrepareHost(virQEMUDriver *driver,
     if (qemuProcessPrepareHostStorage(driver, vm, flags) < 0)
         return -1;
 
-    VIR_DEBUG("Preparing hostdevs (host-side)");
-    if (qemuProcessPrepareHostHostdevs(vm) < 0)
-        return -1;
-
     VIR_DEBUG("Preparing external devices");
     if (qemuExtDevicesPrepareHost(driver, vm) < 0)
         return -1;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.h b/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
index f5c06c2915..e0cbafda1d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
@@ -111,9 +111,6 @@ int qemuProcessPrepareDomain(virQEMUDriver *driver,
 
 int qemuProcessOpenVhostVsock(virDomainVsockDef *vsock);
 
-int qemuProcessPrepareHostHostdev(virDomainHostdevDef *hostdev);
-
-
 int qemuProcessPrepareHostBackendChardevHotplug(virDomainObj *vm,
                                                 virDomainDeviceDef *dev)
     G_NO_INLINE;