diff --git a/include/linux/sysctl.h b/include/linux/sysctl.h
index 5b8af9069797..51acdec88a61 100644
--- a/include/linux/sysctl.h
+++ b/include/linux/sysctl.h
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ struct __sysctl_args {
 
 /* For internal pattern-matching use only: */
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
-#define CTL_ANY		-1	/* Matches any name */
 #define CTL_NONE	0
 #define CTL_UNNUMBERED	CTL_NONE	/* sysctl without a binary number */
 #endif
diff --git a/kernel/sysctl.c b/kernel/sysctl.c
index fc2ce3d8f97e..48708a73852d 100644
--- a/kernel/sysctl.c
+++ b/kernel/sysctl.c
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ repeat:
 	for ( ; table->ctl_name || table->procname; table++) {
 		if (!table->ctl_name)
 			continue;
-		if (n == table->ctl_name || table->ctl_name == CTL_ANY) {
+		if (n == table->ctl_name) {
 			int error;
 			if (table->child) {
 				if (ctl_perm(table, 001))