diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp
index 73bda78324..06463dc0cc 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/persistence.hpp
@@ -642,8 +642,6 @@ public:
 
     //! returns the currently observed element
     FileNode operator *() const;
-    //! accesses the currently observed element methods
-    FileNode operator ->() const;
 
     //! moves iterator to the next node
     FileNodeIterator& operator ++ ();
diff --git a/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp b/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp
index fa45eed9be..c778890b68 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/src/persistence.cpp
@@ -2388,11 +2388,6 @@ FileNode FileNodeIterator::operator *() const
     return FileNode(idx < nodeNElems ? fs : 0, blockIdx, ofs);
 }
 
-FileNode FileNodeIterator::operator ->() const
-{
-    return FileNode(idx < nodeNElems ? fs : 0, blockIdx, ofs);
-}
-
 FileNodeIterator& FileNodeIterator::operator ++ ()
 {
     if( idx == nodeNElems || !fs )