diff --git a/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_compile.h b/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_compile.h
index d541c70bcda..e5085742dd5 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_compile.h
+++ b/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_compile.h
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ bifrost_precompiled_kernel_prepare_push_uniforms(
 }
 
 void bifrost_preprocess_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id);
-void bifrost_optimize_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id);
 void bifrost_postprocess_nir(nir_shader *nir,
                              const struct pan_compile_inputs *inputs,
                              struct pan_shader_info *info);
diff --git a/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_nir.c b/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_nir.c
index 4ab321fc66c..a7855916c92 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_nir.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/compiler/bifrost/bifrost_nir.c
@@ -259,12 +259,6 @@ bi_optimize_loop_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id, bool allow_copies)
    NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_remove_dead_variables, nir_var_function_temp, NULL);
 }
 
-void
-bifrost_optimize_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id)
-{
-   bi_optimize_loop_nir(nir, gpu_id, true);
-}
-
 static void
 bi_optimize_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id,
                 nir_variable_mode robust_modes)
diff --git a/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.c b/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.c
index 66542e8cf31..7325c16f8b6 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.c
@@ -83,13 +83,6 @@ pan_preprocess_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id)
    NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_lower_tex, &lower_tex_options);
 }
 
-void
-pan_optimize_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id)
-{
-   assert(pan_arch(gpu_id) >= 6);
-   bifrost_optimize_nir(nir, gpu_id);
-}
-
 void
 pan_postprocess_nir(nir_shader *nir, const struct pan_compile_inputs *inputs,
                     struct pan_shader_info *info)
diff --git a/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.h b/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.h
index 5cb9ae177dc..f2d3b56b1a6 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.h
+++ b/src/panfrost/compiler/pan_compiler.h
@@ -58,19 +58,18 @@ struct pan_compile_inputs {
 };
 
 /* Every panfrost compilation pipeline should adhere to:
- * 1. Driver-specific early lowering + pan_optimize_nir() (optional)
+ * 1. Driver-specific early lowering
  * 2. pan_preprocess_nir()
  * 3. Descriptor lowering
  * 4. pan_postprocess_nir()
  * 5. Inline sysvals
- * 5. pan_shader_compile()
+ * 6. pan_shader_compile()
  * ONLY SYSVAL LOWERING is allowed between postprocess and shader_compile.
  * Driver-specific lowerings should be either BEFORE preprocess or BETWEEN
  * preprocess and postprocess.  Any code except sysval inlining put after
  * postprocess WILL BE NAKed.
  */
 void pan_preprocess_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id);
-void pan_optimize_nir(nir_shader *nir, uint64_t gpu_id);
 void pan_postprocess_nir(nir_shader *nir,
                          const struct pan_compile_inputs *inputs,
                          struct pan_shader_info *info);
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_shader.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_shader.c
index 6d8507bb7c7..03da805a49c 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_shader.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_shader.c
@@ -497,11 +497,6 @@ panvk_preprocess_nir(struct vk_physical_device *vk_pdev,
    if (nir->info.stage == MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT)
       NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_lower_wpos_center);
 
-   pan_optimize_nir(nir, pdev->kmod.dev->props.gpu_id);
-
-   NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_split_var_copies);
-   NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_lower_var_copies);
-
    assert(pdev->kmod.dev->props.shader_present != 0);
    uint64_t core_max_id =
       util_last_bit(pdev->kmod.dev->props.shader_present) - 1;