diff --git a/libavfilter/avfilter.c b/libavfilter/avfilter.c
index c2ecdffa6f..ed363351ad 100644
--- a/libavfilter/avfilter.c
+++ b/libavfilter/avfilter.c
@@ -560,27 +560,6 @@ int avfilter_process_command(AVFilterContext *filter, const char *cmd, const cha
     return AVERROR(ENOSYS);
 }
 
-#if FF_API_PAD_COUNT
-int avfilter_pad_count(const AVFilterPad *pads)
-{
-    const AVFilter *filter;
-    void *opaque = NULL;
-
-    if (!pads)
-        return 0;
-
-    while (filter = av_filter_iterate(&opaque)) {
-        if (pads == filter->inputs)
-            return filter->nb_inputs;
-        if (pads == filter->outputs)
-            return filter->nb_outputs;
-    }
-
-    av_assert0(!"AVFilterPad list not from a filter");
-    return AVERROR_BUG;
-}
-#endif
-
 unsigned avfilter_filter_pad_count(const AVFilter *filter, int is_output)
 {
     return is_output ? filter->nb_outputs : filter->nb_inputs;
diff --git a/libavfilter/avfilter.h b/libavfilter/avfilter.h
index c2ec7a4b5f..333eeb31c3 100644
--- a/libavfilter/avfilter.h
+++ b/libavfilter/avfilter.h
@@ -76,16 +76,6 @@ typedef struct AVFilterPad     AVFilterPad;
 typedef struct AVFilterFormats AVFilterFormats;
 typedef struct AVFilterChannelLayouts AVFilterChannelLayouts;
 
-#if FF_API_PAD_COUNT
-/**
- * Get the number of elements in an AVFilter's inputs or outputs array.
- *
- * @deprecated Use avfilter_filter_pad_count() instead.
- */
-attribute_deprecated
-int avfilter_pad_count(const AVFilterPad *pads);
-#endif
-
 /**
  * Get the name of an AVFilterPad.
  *
diff --git a/libavfilter/version_major.h b/libavfilter/version_major.h
index 5a8bf4eda2..cb2238ffdd 100644
--- a/libavfilter/version_major.h
+++ b/libavfilter/version_major.h
@@ -35,6 +35,4 @@
  * the public API and may change, break or disappear at any time.
  */
 
-#define FF_API_PAD_COUNT                    (LIBAVFILTER_VERSION_MAJOR < 9)
-
 #endif /* AVFILTER_VERSION_MAJOR_H */