diff --git a/dialog.h b/dialog.h
index 6f454f56..67751670 100644
--- a/dialog.h
+++ b/dialog.h
@@ -634,21 +634,6 @@ int dlg_coloursel_results(union control *ctrl, void *dlg,
  */
 void dlg_refresh(union control *ctrl, void *dlg);
 
-/*
- * It's perfectly possible that individual controls might need to
- * allocate or store per-dialog-instance data, so here's a
- * mechanism.
- * 
- * `dlg_get_privdata' and `dlg_set_privdata' allow the user to get
- * and set a void * pointer associated with the control in
- * question. `dlg_alloc_privdata' will allocate memory, store a
- * pointer to that memory in the private data field, and arrange
- * for it to be automatically deallocated on dialog cleanup.
- */
-void *dlg_get_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg);
-void dlg_set_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg, void *ptr);
-void *dlg_alloc_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg, size_t size);
-
 /*
  * Standard helper functions for reading a controlbox structure.
  */
diff --git a/macosx/osxctrls.m b/macosx/osxctrls.m
index 12e813c9..b4270f9d 100644
--- a/macosx/osxctrls.m
+++ b/macosx/osxctrls.m
@@ -243,8 +243,6 @@ struct fe_ctrl {
     NSTableView *tableview;
     NSScrollView *scrollview;
     int nradiobuttons;
-    void *privdata;
-    int privdata_needs_free;
 };
 
 static int fe_ctrl_cmp_by_ctrl(void *av, void *bv)
@@ -346,16 +344,12 @@ static struct fe_ctrl *fe_ctrl_new(union control *ctrl)
     c->scrollview = nil;
     c->radiobuttons = NULL;
     c->nradiobuttons = 0;
-    c->privdata = NULL;
-    c->privdata_needs_free = FALSE;
 
     return c;
 }
 
 static void fe_ctrl_free(struct fe_ctrl *c)
 {
-    if (c->privdata_needs_free)
-	sfree(c->privdata);
     sfree(c->radiobuttons);
     sfree(c);
 }
@@ -1785,31 +1779,3 @@ void dlg_refresh(union control *ctrl, void *dv)
 	}
     }
 }
-
-void *dlg_get_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dv)
-{
-    struct fe_dlg *d = (struct fe_dlg *)dv;
-    struct fe_ctrl *c = fe_ctrl_byctrl(d, ctrl);
-    return c->privdata;
-}
-
-void dlg_set_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dv, void *ptr)
-{
-    struct fe_dlg *d = (struct fe_dlg *)dv;
-    struct fe_ctrl *c = fe_ctrl_byctrl(d, ctrl);
-    c->privdata = ptr;
-    c->privdata_needs_free = FALSE;
-}
-
-void *dlg_alloc_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dv, size_t size)
-{
-    struct fe_dlg *d = (struct fe_dlg *)dv;
-    struct fe_ctrl *c = fe_ctrl_byctrl(d, ctrl);
-    /*
-     * This is an internal allocation routine, so it's allowed to
-     * use smalloc directly.
-     */
-    c->privdata = smalloc(size);
-    c->privdata_needs_free = TRUE;
-    return c->privdata;
-}
diff --git a/unix/gtkdlg.c b/unix/gtkdlg.c
index 2b8fec17..86a71cd6 100644
--- a/unix/gtkdlg.c
+++ b/unix/gtkdlg.c
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ struct Shortcuts {
 struct uctrl {
     union control *ctrl;
     GtkWidget *toplevel;
-    void *privdata;
-    int privdata_needs_free;
     GtkWidget **buttons; int nbuttons; /* for radio buttons */
     GtkWidget *entry;         /* for editbox, filesel, fontsel */
     GtkWidget *button;        /* for filesel, fontsel */
@@ -189,8 +187,6 @@ static void dlg_cleanup(struct dlgparam *dp)
     dp->byctrl = NULL;
     while ( (uc = index234(dp->bywidget, 0)) != NULL) {
 	del234(dp->bywidget, uc);
-	if (uc->privdata_needs_free)
-	    sfree(uc->privdata);
 	sfree(uc->buttons);
 	sfree(uc);
     }
@@ -228,34 +224,6 @@ static struct uctrl *dlg_find_bywidget(struct dlgparam *dp, GtkWidget *w)
     return ret;
 }
 
-void *dlg_get_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg)
-{
-    struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
-    struct uctrl *uc = dlg_find_byctrl(dp, ctrl);
-    return uc->privdata;
-}
-
-void dlg_set_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg, void *ptr)
-{
-    struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
-    struct uctrl *uc = dlg_find_byctrl(dp, ctrl);
-    uc->privdata = ptr;
-    uc->privdata_needs_free = FALSE;
-}
-
-void *dlg_alloc_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg, size_t size)
-{
-    struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
-    struct uctrl *uc = dlg_find_byctrl(dp, ctrl);
-    /*
-     * This is an internal allocation routine, so it's allowed to
-     * use smalloc directly.
-     */
-    uc->privdata = smalloc(size);
-    uc->privdata_needs_free = FALSE;
-    return uc->privdata;
-}
-
 union control *dlg_last_focused(union control *ctrl, void *dlg)
 {
     struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
@@ -1832,8 +1800,6 @@ GtkWidget *layout_ctrls(struct dlgparam *dp, struct Shortcuts *scs,
 
 	uc = snew(struct uctrl);
 	uc->ctrl = ctrl;
-	uc->privdata = NULL;
-	uc->privdata_needs_free = FALSE;
 	uc->buttons = NULL;
 	uc->entry = NULL;
 #if !GTK_CHECK_VERSION(2,4,0)
diff --git a/windows/winctrls.c b/windows/winctrls.c
index 49c13e8d..9bee9274 100644
--- a/windows/winctrls.c
+++ b/windows/winctrls.c
@@ -2532,23 +2532,6 @@ void dlg_set_fixed_pitch_flag(void *dlg, int flag)
     dp->fixed_pitch_fonts = flag;
 }
 
-struct perctrl_privdata {
-    union control *ctrl;
-    void *data;
-    int needs_free;
-};
-
-static int perctrl_privdata_cmp(void *av, void *bv)
-{
-    struct perctrl_privdata *a = (struct perctrl_privdata *)av;
-    struct perctrl_privdata *b = (struct perctrl_privdata *)bv;
-    if (a->ctrl < b->ctrl)
-	return -1;
-    else if (a->ctrl > b->ctrl)
-	return +1;
-    return 0;
-}
-
 void dp_init(struct dlgparam *dp)
 {
     dp->nctrltrees = 0;
@@ -2558,7 +2541,6 @@ void dp_init(struct dlgparam *dp)
     memset(dp->shortcuts, 0, sizeof(dp->shortcuts));
     dp->hwnd = NULL;
     dp->wintitle = dp->errtitle = NULL;
-    dp->privdata = newtree234(perctrl_privdata_cmp);
     dp->fixed_pitch_fonts = TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -2570,67 +2552,6 @@ void dp_add_tree(struct dlgparam *dp, struct winctrls *wc)
 
 void dp_cleanup(struct dlgparam *dp)
 {
-    struct perctrl_privdata *p;
-
-    if (dp->privdata) {
-	while ( (p = index234(dp->privdata, 0)) != NULL ) {
-	    del234(dp->privdata, p);
-	    if (p->needs_free)
-		sfree(p->data);
-	    sfree(p);
-	}
-	freetree234(dp->privdata);
-	dp->privdata = NULL;
-    }
     sfree(dp->wintitle);
     sfree(dp->errtitle);
 }
-
-void *dlg_get_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg)
-{
-    struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
-    struct perctrl_privdata tmp, *p;
-    tmp.ctrl = ctrl;
-    p = find234(dp->privdata, &tmp, NULL);
-    if (p)
-	return p->data;
-    else
-	return NULL;
-}
-
-void dlg_set_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg, void *ptr)
-{
-    struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
-    struct perctrl_privdata tmp, *p;
-    tmp.ctrl = ctrl;
-    p = find234(dp->privdata, &tmp, NULL);
-    if (!p) {
-	p = snew(struct perctrl_privdata);
-	p->ctrl = ctrl;
-	p->needs_free = FALSE;
-	add234(dp->privdata, p);
-    }
-    p->data = ptr;
-}
-
-void *dlg_alloc_privdata(union control *ctrl, void *dlg, size_t size)
-{
-    struct dlgparam *dp = (struct dlgparam *)dlg;
-    struct perctrl_privdata tmp, *p;
-    tmp.ctrl = ctrl;
-    p = find234(dp->privdata, &tmp, NULL);
-    if (!p) {
-	p = snew(struct perctrl_privdata);
-	p->ctrl = ctrl;
-	p->needs_free = FALSE;
-	add234(dp->privdata, p);
-    }
-    assert(!p->needs_free);
-    p->needs_free = TRUE;
-    /*
-     * This is an internal allocation routine, so it's allowed to
-     * use smalloc directly.
-     */
-    p->data = smalloc(size);
-    return p->data;
-}