diff --git a/core/membuffer.cpp b/core/membuffer.cpp
index 605b523e8..ef0075f2a 100644
--- a/core/membuffer.cpp
+++ b/core/membuffer.cpp
@@ -140,25 +140,6 @@ void put_vformat(struct membuffer *b, const char *fmt, va_list args)
 	}
 }
 
-/* Silly helper using membuffer */
-char *vformat_string(const char *fmt, va_list args)
-{
-	struct membuffer mb;
-	put_vformat(&mb, fmt, args);
-	return detach_cstring(&mb);
-}
-
-char *format_string(const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	va_list args;
-	char *result;
-
-	va_start(args, fmt);
-	result = vformat_string(fmt, args);
-	va_end(args);
-	return result;
-}
-
 void put_format(struct membuffer *b, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list args;
diff --git a/core/membuffer.h b/core/membuffer.h
index 7461739ef..b72087500 100644
--- a/core/membuffer.h
+++ b/core/membuffer.h
@@ -62,11 +62,6 @@ extern __printf(2, 3) void put_format(struct membuffer *, const char *fmt, ...);
 extern __printf(2, 0) char *add_to_string_va(char *old, const char *fmt, va_list args);
 extern __printf(2, 3) char *add_to_string(char *old, const char *fmt, ...);
 
-/* Helpers that use membuffers internally */
-extern __printf(1, 0) char *vformat_string(const char *, va_list);
-extern __printf(1, 2) char *format_string(const char *, ...);
-
-
 /* Output one of our "milli" values with type and pre/post data */
 extern void put_milli(struct membuffer *, const char *, int, const char *);