diff --git a/include/sysemu/char.h b/include/sysemu/char.h
index da0e7dd494..5e5594f305 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/char.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/char.h
@@ -184,13 +184,6 @@ Chardev *qemu_chr_new_noreplay(const char *label, const char *filename);
  */
 void qemu_chr_delete(Chardev *chr);
 
-/**
- * @qemu_chr_free:
- *
- * Destroy a character backend.
- */
-void qemu_chr_free(Chardev *chr);
-
 /**
  * @qemu_chr_fe_set_echo:
  *
@@ -496,7 +489,6 @@ typedef struct ChardevClass {
     int (*set_msgfds)(Chardev *s, int *fds, int num);
     int (*chr_add_client)(Chardev *chr, int fd);
     int (*chr_wait_connected)(Chardev *chr, Error **errp);
-    void (*chr_free)(Chardev *chr);
     void (*chr_disconnect)(Chardev *chr);
     void (*chr_accept_input)(Chardev *chr);
     void (*chr_set_echo)(Chardev *chr, bool echo);
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 3d0d690999..c239418c25 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -4371,18 +4371,10 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_disconnect(CharBackend *be)
     }
 }
 
-void qemu_chr_free(Chardev *chr)
-{
-    if (CHARDEV_GET_CLASS(chr)->chr_free) {
-        CHARDEV_GET_CLASS(chr)->chr_free(chr);
-    }
-    object_unref(OBJECT(chr));
-}
-
 void qemu_chr_delete(Chardev *chr)
 {
     QTAILQ_REMOVE(&chardevs, chr, next);
-    qemu_chr_free(chr);
+    object_unref(OBJECT(chr));
 }
 
 ChardevInfoList *qmp_query_chardev(Error **errp)