diff --git a/libavformat/nutdec.c b/libavformat/nutdec.c
index 415f720c18..171315b711 100644
--- a/libavformat/nutdec.c
+++ b/libavformat/nutdec.c
@@ -901,7 +901,6 @@ static int nut_read_close(AVFormatContext *s)
 
     av_freep(&nut->time_base);
     av_freep(&nut->stream);
-    av_tree_destroy_free_elem(nut->syncpoints);
     for(i = 1; i < nut->header_count; i++)
         av_freep(&nut->header[i]);
 
diff --git a/libavformat/nutenc.c b/libavformat/nutenc.c
index 8509aa2faa..0cce48dea0 100644
--- a/libavformat/nutenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/nutenc.c
@@ -799,7 +799,6 @@ static int write_trailer(AVFormatContext *s){
     put_flush_packet(bc);
     av_freep(&nut->stream);
     av_freep(&nut->time_base);
-    av_tree_destroy_free_elem(nut->syncpoints);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libavutil/tree.c b/libavutil/tree.c
index 261e306b8a..4b78764628 100644
--- a/libavutil/tree.c
+++ b/libavutil/tree.c
@@ -135,15 +135,6 @@ void av_tree_destroy(AVTreeNode *t){
     }
 }
 
-void av_tree_destroy_free_elem(AVTreeNode *t){
-    if(t){
-        av_tree_destroy_free_elem(t->child[0]);
-        av_tree_destroy_free_elem(t->child[1]);
-        av_free(t->elem);
-        av_free(t);
-    }
-}
-
 #if 0
 void av_tree_enumerate(AVTreeNode *t, void *opaque, int (*cmp)(void *opaque, void *elem), int (*enu)(void *opaque, void *elem)){
     if(t){
diff --git a/libavutil/tree.h b/libavutil/tree.h
index e3441c3392..e96d1fa12e 100644
--- a/libavutil/tree.h
+++ b/libavutil/tree.h
@@ -78,6 +78,5 @@ void *av_tree_find(const struct AVTreeNode *root, void *key, int (*cmp)(void *ke
  */
 void *av_tree_insert(struct AVTreeNode **rootp, void *key, int (*cmp)(void *key, const void *b), struct AVTreeNode **next);
 void av_tree_destroy(struct AVTreeNode *t);
-void av_tree_destroy_free_elem(struct AVTreeNode *t);
 
 #endif /* AVUTIL_TREE_H */