diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers.go b/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers.go
index da14ba3d1b4..9ffbf4db742 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers.go
@@ -23,13 +23,11 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/intstr"
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
@@ -106,29 +104,6 @@ func (hr *handlerRunner) Run(ctx context.Context, containerID kubecontainer.Cont
 	}
 }
 
-// resolvePort attempts to turn an IntOrString port reference into a concrete port number.
-// If portReference has an int value, it is treated as a literal, and simply returns that value.
-// If portReference is a string, an attempt is first made to parse it as an integer.  If that fails,
-// an attempt is made to find a port with the same name in the container spec.
-// If a port with the same name is found, it's ContainerPort value is returned.  If no matching
-// port is found, an error is returned.
-func resolvePort(portReference intstr.IntOrString, container *v1.Container) (int, error) {
-	if portReference.Type == intstr.Int {
-		return portReference.IntValue(), nil
-	}
-	portName := portReference.StrVal
-	port, err := strconv.Atoi(portName)
-	if err == nil {
-		return port, nil
-	}
-	for _, portSpec := range container.Ports {
-		if portSpec.Name == portName {
-			return int(portSpec.ContainerPort), nil
-		}
-	}
-	return -1, fmt.Errorf("couldn't find port: %v in %v", portReference, container)
-}
-
 func (hr *handlerRunner) runSleepHandler(ctx context.Context, seconds int64) error {
 	if !utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate.Enabled(features.PodLifecycleSleepAction) {
 		return nil
diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers_test.go b/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers_test.go
index 3e48303889c..8d6c9220c13 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/lifecycle/handlers_test.go
@@ -41,47 +41,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/test/utils/ktesting"
 )
 
-func TestResolvePort(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, testCase := range []struct {
-		container  *v1.Container
-		stringPort string
-		expected   int
-	}{
-		{
-			stringPort: "foo",
-			container: &v1.Container{
-				Ports: []v1.ContainerPort{{Name: "foo", ContainerPort: int32(80)}},
-			},
-			expected: 80,
-		},
-		{
-			container:  &v1.Container{},
-			stringPort: "80",
-			expected:   80,
-		},
-		{
-			container: &v1.Container{
-				Ports: []v1.ContainerPort{
-					{Name: "bar", ContainerPort: int32(80)},
-				},
-			},
-			stringPort: "foo",
-			expected:   -1,
-		},
-	} {
-		port, err := resolvePort(intstr.FromString(testCase.stringPort), testCase.container)
-		if testCase.expected != -1 && err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("unexpected error while resolving port: %s", err)
-		}
-		if testCase.expected == -1 && err == nil {
-			t.Errorf("expected error when a port fails to resolve")
-		}
-		if testCase.expected != port {
-			t.Errorf("failed to resolve port, expected %d, got %d", testCase.expected, port)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 type fakeContainerCommandRunner struct {
 	Cmd []string
 	ID  kubecontainer.ContainerID