diff --git a/btf_encoder.c b/btf_encoder.c
index b920a77..2e705f8 100644
--- a/btf_encoder.c
+++ b/btf_encoder.c
@@ -1322,7 +1322,7 @@ struct btf_encoder *btf_encoder__new(struct cu *cu, const char *detached_filenam
 		/* find percpu section's shndx */
 
 		GElf_Shdr shdr;
-		Elf_Scn *sec = elf_section_by_name(cu->elf, &encoder->ehdr, &shdr, PERCPU_SECTION, NULL);
+		Elf_Scn *sec = elf_section_by_name(cu->elf, &shdr, PERCPU_SECTION, NULL);
 
 		if (!sec) {
 			if (encoder->verbose)
diff --git a/ctracer.c b/ctracer.c
index 0a02865..fa20cb8 100644
--- a/ctracer.c
+++ b/ctracer.c
@@ -830,8 +830,7 @@ static int elf__open(const char *filename)
 
 	GElf_Shdr shdr;
 	size_t init_index;
-	Elf_Scn *init = elf_section_by_name(elf, &ehdr, &shdr, ".init.text",
-					    &init_index);
+	Elf_Scn *init = elf_section_by_name(elf, &shdr, ".init.text", &init_index);
 	if (init == NULL)
 		goto out_elf_end;
 
diff --git a/dutil.c b/dutil.c
index b7bbc9d..97c4474 100644
--- a/dutil.c
+++ b/dutil.c
@@ -180,8 +180,7 @@ bool strlist__has_entry(struct strlist *slist, const char *entry)
 	return false;
 }
 
-Elf_Scn *elf_section_by_name(Elf *elf, GElf_Ehdr *ep,
-			     GElf_Shdr *shp, const char *name, size_t *index)
+Elf_Scn *elf_section_by_name(Elf *elf, GElf_Shdr *shp, const char *name, size_t *index)
 {
 	Elf_Scn *sec = NULL;
 	size_t cnt = 1;
diff --git a/dutil.h b/dutil.h
index 7e3bf55..77f2a39 100644
--- a/dutil.h
+++ b/dutil.h
@@ -321,8 +321,7 @@ static inline bool strstarts(const char *str, const char *prefix)
 
 void *zalloc(const size_t size);
 
-Elf_Scn *elf_section_by_name(Elf *elf, GElf_Ehdr *ep,
-			     GElf_Shdr *shp, const char *name, size_t *index);
+Elf_Scn *elf_section_by_name(Elf *elf, GElf_Shdr *shp, const char *name, size_t *index);
 
 Elf_Scn *elf_section_by_idx(Elf *elf, GElf_Shdr *shp, int idx);
 
diff --git a/dwarves.c b/dwarves.c
index ac3596b..a54a2c0 100644
--- a/dwarves.c
+++ b/dwarves.c
@@ -2142,18 +2142,15 @@ static int elf_read_build_id(Elf *elf, void *bf, size_t size)
 	 *   '.note' (VDSO specific)
 	 */
 	do {
-		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &ehdr, &shdr,
-					  ".note.gnu.build-id", NULL);
+		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &shdr, ".note.gnu.build-id", NULL);
 		if (sec)
 			break;
 
-		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &ehdr, &shdr,
-					  ".notes", NULL);
+		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &shdr, ".notes", NULL);
 		if (sec)
 			break;
 
-		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &ehdr, &shdr,
-					  ".note", NULL);
+		sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &shdr, ".note", NULL);
 		if (sec)
 			break;
 
diff --git a/elf_symtab.c b/elf_symtab.c
index 7ba40fc..3fbab31 100644
--- a/elf_symtab.c
+++ b/elf_symtab.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct elf_symtab *elf_symtab__new(const char *name, Elf *elf, GElf_Ehdr *ehdr)
 		name = ".symtab";
 
 	GElf_Shdr shdr;
-	Elf_Scn *sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, ehdr, &shdr, name, &symtab_index);
+	Elf_Scn *sec = elf_section_by_name(elf, &shdr, name, &symtab_index);
 
 	if (sec == NULL)
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/libctf.c b/libctf.c
index cb12bb4..6cb84dc 100644
--- a/libctf.c
+++ b/libctf.c
@@ -132,8 +132,7 @@ int ctf__load(struct ctf *ctf)
 {
 	int err = -ENOTSUP;
 	GElf_Shdr shdr;
-	Elf_Scn *sec = elf_section_by_name(ctf->elf, &ctf->ehdr,
-					   &shdr, ".SUNW_ctf", NULL);
+	Elf_Scn *sec = elf_section_by_name(ctf->elf, &shdr, ".SUNW_ctf", NULL);
 
 	if (sec == NULL)
 		return -ESRCH;