diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 22f91cb6..cb121795 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -919,7 +919,6 @@ if test "${enable_crypto}" = "yes" -a "${with_crypto_library}" = "openssl"; then
 
 	AC_CHECK_FUNCS(
 		[ \
-			EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new \
 			EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free \
 			HMAC_CTX_new \
 			HMAC_CTX_free \
diff --git a/src/openvpn/openssl_compat.h b/src/openvpn/openssl_compat.h
index 617410e0..cd25bd37 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/openssl_compat.h
+++ b/src/openvpn/openssl_compat.h
@@ -101,21 +101,6 @@ EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(EVP_CIPHER_CTX *c)
 }
 #endif
 
-#if !defined(HAVE_EVP_CIPHER_CTX_NEW)
-/**
- * Allocate a new cipher context object
- *
- * @return                    A zero'ed cipher context object
- */
-static inline EVP_CIPHER_CTX *
-EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new(void)
-{
-    EVP_CIPHER_CTX *ctx = NULL;
-    ALLOC_OBJ_CLEAR(ctx, EVP_CIPHER_CTX);
-    return ctx;
-}
-#endif
-
 #if !defined(HAVE_HMAC_CTX_RESET)
 /**
  * Reset a HMAC context