diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index f75dea36c4..2b4a44d696 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -2117,7 +2117,6 @@ dnsmasqAddDhcpHost;
 dnsmasqAddHost;
 dnsmasqCapsGetBinaryPath;
 dnsmasqCapsNewFromBinary;
-dnsmasqCapsNewFromBuffer;
 dnsmasqContextFree;
 dnsmasqContextNew;
 dnsmasqDelete;
diff --git a/src/util/virdnsmasq.c b/src/util/virdnsmasq.c
index 841689b782..f5029d2fdc 100644
--- a/src/util/virdnsmasq.c
+++ b/src/util/virdnsmasq.c
@@ -680,20 +680,6 @@ dnsmasqCapsNewEmpty(void)
     return g_steal_pointer(&caps);
 }
 
-dnsmasqCaps *
-dnsmasqCapsNewFromBuffer(const char *buf)
-{
-    g_autoptr(dnsmasqCaps) caps = dnsmasqCapsNewEmpty();
-
-    if (!caps)
-        return NULL;
-
-    if (dnsmasqCapsSetFromBuffer(caps, buf) < 0)
-        return NULL;
-
-    return g_steal_pointer(&caps);
-}
-
 dnsmasqCaps *
 dnsmasqCapsNewFromBinary(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/util/virdnsmasq.h b/src/util/virdnsmasq.h
index c74cc887f8..cc1c337d41 100644
--- a/src/util/virdnsmasq.h
+++ b/src/util/virdnsmasq.h
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ int              dnsmasqSave(const dnsmasqContext *ctx);
 int              dnsmasqDelete(const dnsmasqContext *ctx);
 int              dnsmasqReload(pid_t pid);
 
-dnsmasqCaps *dnsmasqCapsNewFromBuffer(const char *buf);
 dnsmasqCaps *dnsmasqCapsNewFromBinary(void);
 const char *dnsmasqCapsGetBinaryPath(dnsmasqCaps *caps);
 char *dnsmasqDhcpHostsToString(dnsmasqDhcpHost *hosts,