diff --git a/libavcodec/internal.h b/libavcodec/internal.h
index 948d0064bc..9afbba7b44 100644
--- a/libavcodec/internal.h
+++ b/libavcodec/internal.h
@@ -225,11 +225,6 @@ int avpriv_h264_has_num_reorder_frames(AVCodecContext *avctx);
  */
 int ff_codec_open2_recursive(AVCodecContext *avctx, const AVCodec *codec, AVDictionary **options);
 
-/**
- * Call avcodec_close recursively, counterpart to avcodec_open2_recursive.
- */
-int ff_codec_close_recursive(AVCodecContext *avctx);
-
 /**
  * Finalize buf into extradata and set its size appropriately.
  */
diff --git a/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c b/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c
index e546c3e49c..a4125f17b5 100644
--- a/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ static av_cold int smvjpeg_decode_end(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     jpg->picture_ptr = NULL;
     av_frame_free(&s->picture[0]);
     av_frame_free(&s->picture[1]);
-    ff_codec_close_recursive(s->avctx);
+    avcodec_close(s->avctx);
     av_freep(&s->avctx);
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libavcodec/utils.c b/libavcodec/utils.c
index be2b40d45c..d3cf40813e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/utils.c
+++ b/libavcodec/utils.c
@@ -2677,15 +2677,6 @@ void avsubtitle_free(AVSubtitle *sub)
     memset(sub, 0, sizeof(AVSubtitle));
 }
 
-av_cold int ff_codec_close_recursive(AVCodecContext *avctx)
-{
-    int ret = 0;
-
-    ret = avcodec_close(avctx);
-
-    return ret;
-}
-
 av_cold int avcodec_close(AVCodecContext *avctx)
 {
     if (!avctx)