diff --git a/src/cairo-atomic-private.h b/src/cairo-atomic-private.h
index 7fbdedb2b..a0ca76908 100644
--- a/src/cairo-atomic-private.h
+++ b/src/cairo-atomic-private.h
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ CAIRO_BEGIN_DECLS
 typedef int cairo_atomic_int_t;
 
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_get(x) (*x)
-# define _cairo_atomic_int_set(x, value) ((*x) = value)
 
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_inc(x) ((void) __sync_fetch_and_add(x, 1))
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_dec_and_test(x) (__sync_fetch_and_add(x, -1) == 1)
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ typedef long long cairo_atomic_intptr_t;
 typedef  AO_t cairo_atomic_int_t;
 
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_get(x) (AO_load_full (x))
-# define _cairo_atomic_int_set(x, value) (AO_store_full (x))
 
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_inc(x) ((void) AO_fetch_and_add1_full(x))
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_dec_and_test(x) (AO_fetch_and_sub1_full(x) == 1)
@@ -126,18 +124,10 @@ cairo_private void *
 _cairo_atomic_ptr_cmpxchg (void **x, void *oldv, void *newv);
 
 #ifdef ATOMIC_OP_NEEDS_MEMORY_BARRIER
-
 cairo_private int
 _cairo_atomic_int_get (int *x);
-
-cairo_private void
-_cairo_atomic_int_set (int *x, int value);
-
 #else
-
 # define _cairo_atomic_int_get(x) (*x)
-# define _cairo_atomic_int_set(x, value) ((*x) = value)
-
 #endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/cairo-atomic.c b/src/cairo-atomic.c
index 5bc7d3a1e..60d8f0021 100644
--- a/src/cairo-atomic.c
+++ b/src/cairo-atomic.c
@@ -101,14 +101,6 @@ _cairo_atomic_int_get (int *x)
 
     return ret;
 }
-
-void
-_cairo_atomic_int_set (int *x, int value)
-{
-    CAIRO_MUTEX_LOCK (_cairo_atomic_mutex);
-    *x = value;
-    CAIRO_MUTEX_UNLOCK (_cairo_atomic_mutex);
-}
 #endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/cairo-reference-count-private.h b/src/cairo-reference-count-private.h
index 7c5c60101..0cb5695dd 100644
--- a/src/cairo-reference-count-private.h
+++ b/src/cairo-reference-count-private.h
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ typedef struct {
 #define CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_INIT(RC, VALUE) ((RC)->ref_count = (VALUE))
 
 #define CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_GET_VALUE(RC) _cairo_atomic_int_get (&(RC)->ref_count)
-#define CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_SET_VALUE(RC, VALUE) _cairo_atomic_int_set (&(RC)->ref_count, (VALUE))
 
 #define CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_INVALID_VALUE ((cairo_atomic_int_t) -1)
 #define CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_INVALID {CAIRO_REFERENCE_COUNT_INVALID_VALUE}