diff --git a/errsock.c b/errsock.c
index b71aa541..1b3a88a2 100644
--- a/errsock.c
+++ b/errsock.c
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ struct Socket_error_tag {
 
     char *error;
     Plug plug;
-    void *privptr;
 };
 
 static Plug sk_error_plug(Socket s, Plug p)
@@ -38,18 +37,6 @@ static void sk_error_close(Socket s)
     sfree(ps);
 }
 
-static void sk_error_set_private_ptr(Socket s, void *ptr)
-{
-    Error_Socket ps = (Error_Socket) s;
-    ps->privptr = ptr;
-}
-
-static void *sk_error_get_private_ptr(Socket s)
-{
-    Error_Socket ps = (Error_Socket) s;
-    return ps->privptr;
-}
-
 static const char *sk_error_socket_error(Socket s)
 {
     Error_Socket ps = (Error_Socket) s;
@@ -65,8 +52,6 @@ Socket new_error_socket(const char *errmsg, Plug plug)
 	NULL /* write_oob */,
 	NULL /* write_eof */,
 	NULL /* flush */,
-	sk_error_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_error_get_private_ptr,
 	NULL /* set_frozen */,
 	sk_error_socket_error
     };
diff --git a/network.h b/network.h
index d35ff00c..e3996284 100644
--- a/network.h
+++ b/network.h
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ struct socket_function_table {
     int (*write_oob) (Socket s, const char *data, int len);
     void (*write_eof) (Socket s);
     void (*flush) (Socket s);
-    void (*set_private_ptr) (Socket s, void *ptr);
-    void *(*get_private_ptr) (Socket s);
     void (*set_frozen) (Socket s, int is_frozen);
     /* ignored by tcp, but vital for ssl */
     const char *(*socket_error) (Socket s);
@@ -153,16 +151,6 @@ Socket sk_newlistener(char *srcaddr, int port, Plug plug, int local_host_only, i
 #define plug_accepting(p, constructor, ctx) (((*p)->accepting)(p, constructor, ctx))
 #endif
 
-/*
- * Each socket abstraction contains a `void *' private field in
- * which the client can keep state.
- *
- * This is perhaps unnecessary now that we have the notion of a plug,
- * but there is some existing code that uses it, so it stays.
- */
-#define sk_set_private_ptr(s, ptr) (((*s)->set_private_ptr) (s, ptr))
-#define sk_get_private_ptr(s) (((*s)->get_private_ptr) (s))
-
 /*
  * Special error values are returned from sk_namelookup and sk_new
  * if there's a problem. These functions extract an error message,
diff --git a/proxy.c b/proxy.c
index 01eaa34a..c22f30f4 100644
--- a/proxy.c
+++ b/proxy.c
@@ -142,18 +142,6 @@ static void sk_proxy_flush (Socket s)
     sk_flush(ps->sub_socket);
 }
 
-static void sk_proxy_set_private_ptr (Socket s, void *ptr)
-{
-    Proxy_Socket ps = (Proxy_Socket) s;
-    sk_set_private_ptr(ps->sub_socket, ptr);
-}
-
-static void * sk_proxy_get_private_ptr (Socket s)
-{
-    Proxy_Socket ps = (Proxy_Socket) s;
-    return sk_get_private_ptr(ps->sub_socket);
-}
-
 static void sk_proxy_set_frozen (Socket s, int is_frozen)
 {
     Proxy_Socket ps = (Proxy_Socket) s;
@@ -399,8 +387,6 @@ Socket new_connection(SockAddr addr, char *hostname,
 	sk_proxy_write_oob,
 	sk_proxy_write_eof,
 	sk_proxy_flush,
-	sk_proxy_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_proxy_get_private_ptr,
 	sk_proxy_set_frozen,
 	sk_proxy_socket_error
     };
diff --git a/unix/uxnet.c b/unix/uxnet.c
index 449ea38a..3ceb9858 100644
--- a/unix/uxnet.c
+++ b/unix/uxnet.c
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ struct Socket_tag {
     const char *error;
     int s;
     Plug plug;
-    void *private_ptr;
     bufchain output_data;
     int connected;		       /* irrelevant for listening sockets */
     int writable;
@@ -469,8 +468,6 @@ static void sk_tcp_close(Socket s);
 static int sk_tcp_write(Socket s, const char *data, int len);
 static int sk_tcp_write_oob(Socket s, const char *data, int len);
 static void sk_tcp_write_eof(Socket s);
-static void sk_tcp_set_private_ptr(Socket s, void *ptr);
-static void *sk_tcp_get_private_ptr(Socket s);
 static void sk_tcp_set_frozen(Socket s, int is_frozen);
 static const char *sk_tcp_socket_error(Socket s);
 
@@ -481,8 +478,6 @@ static struct socket_function_table tcp_fn_table = {
     sk_tcp_write_oob,
     sk_tcp_write_eof,
     sk_tcp_flush,
-    sk_tcp_set_private_ptr,
-    sk_tcp_get_private_ptr,
     sk_tcp_set_frozen,
     sk_tcp_socket_error
 };
@@ -1374,22 +1369,6 @@ static int net_select_result(int fd, int event)
     return 1;
 }
 
-/*
- * Each socket abstraction contains a `void *' private field in
- * which the client can keep state.
- */
-static void sk_tcp_set_private_ptr(Socket sock, void *ptr)
-{
-    Actual_Socket s = (Actual_Socket) sock;
-    s->private_ptr = ptr;
-}
-
-static void *sk_tcp_get_private_ptr(Socket sock)
-{
-    Actual_Socket s = (Actual_Socket) sock;
-    return s->private_ptr;
-}
-
 /*
  * Special error values are returned from sk_namelookup and sk_new
  * if there's a problem. These functions extract an error message,
diff --git a/unix/uxproxy.c b/unix/uxproxy.c
index f808a677..dfbcc86a 100644
--- a/unix/uxproxy.c
+++ b/unix/uxproxy.c
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ struct Socket_localproxy_tag {
     bufchain pending_output_data;
     bufchain pending_input_data;
     enum { EOF_NO, EOF_PENDING, EOF_SENT } outgoingeof;
-
-    void *privptr;
 };
 
 static int localproxy_select_result(int fd, int event);
@@ -186,18 +184,6 @@ static void sk_localproxy_flush (Socket s)
     /* do nothing */
 }
 
-static void sk_localproxy_set_private_ptr (Socket s, void *ptr)
-{
-    Local_Proxy_Socket ps = (Local_Proxy_Socket) s;
-    ps->privptr = ptr;
-}
-
-static void * sk_localproxy_get_private_ptr (Socket s)
-{
-    Local_Proxy_Socket ps = (Local_Proxy_Socket) s;
-    return ps->privptr;
-}
-
 static void sk_localproxy_set_frozen (Socket s, int is_frozen)
 {
     Local_Proxy_Socket ps = (Local_Proxy_Socket) s;
@@ -258,8 +244,6 @@ Socket platform_new_connection(SockAddr addr, char *hostname,
 	sk_localproxy_write_oob,
 	sk_localproxy_write_eof,
 	sk_localproxy_flush,
-	sk_localproxy_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_localproxy_get_private_ptr,
 	sk_localproxy_set_frozen,
 	sk_localproxy_socket_error
     };
diff --git a/windows/winhsock.c b/windows/winhsock.c
index 701b46da..6d7e7da4 100644
--- a/windows/winhsock.c
+++ b/windows/winhsock.c
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ struct Socket_handle_tag {
     char *error;
 
     Plug plug;
-
-    void *privptr;
 };
 
 static int handle_gotdata(struct handle *h, void *data, int len)
@@ -136,18 +134,6 @@ static void sk_handle_flush(Socket s)
     /* do nothing */
 }
 
-static void sk_handle_set_private_ptr(Socket s, void *ptr)
-{
-    Handle_Socket ps = (Handle_Socket) s;
-    ps->privptr = ptr;
-}
-
-static void *sk_handle_get_private_ptr(Socket s)
-{
-    Handle_Socket ps = (Handle_Socket) s;
-    return ps->privptr;
-}
-
 static void handle_socket_unfreeze(void *psv)
 {
     Handle_Socket ps = (Handle_Socket) psv;
@@ -258,8 +244,6 @@ Socket make_handle_socket(HANDLE send_H, HANDLE recv_H, Plug plug,
 	sk_handle_write_oob,
 	sk_handle_write_eof,
 	sk_handle_flush,
-	sk_handle_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_handle_get_private_ptr,
 	sk_handle_set_frozen,
 	sk_handle_socket_error
     };
diff --git a/windows/winnet.c b/windows/winnet.c
index b6c9fa61..aca37af7 100644
--- a/windows/winnet.c
+++ b/windows/winnet.c
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ struct Socket_tag {
     char *error;
     SOCKET s;
     Plug plug;
-    void *private_ptr;
     bufchain output_data;
     int connected;
     int writable;
@@ -828,8 +827,6 @@ static void sk_tcp_close(Socket s);
 static int sk_tcp_write(Socket s, const char *data, int len);
 static int sk_tcp_write_oob(Socket s, const char *data, int len);
 static void sk_tcp_write_eof(Socket s);
-static void sk_tcp_set_private_ptr(Socket s, void *ptr);
-static void *sk_tcp_get_private_ptr(Socket s);
 static void sk_tcp_set_frozen(Socket s, int is_frozen);
 static const char *sk_tcp_socket_error(Socket s);
 
@@ -844,8 +841,6 @@ static Socket sk_tcp_accept(accept_ctx_t ctx, Plug plug)
 	sk_tcp_write_oob,
 	sk_tcp_write_eof,
 	sk_tcp_flush,
-	sk_tcp_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_tcp_get_private_ptr,
 	sk_tcp_set_frozen,
 	sk_tcp_socket_error
     };
@@ -1094,8 +1089,6 @@ Socket sk_new(SockAddr addr, int port, int privport, int oobinline,
 	sk_tcp_write_oob,
 	sk_tcp_write_eof,
 	sk_tcp_flush,
-	sk_tcp_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_tcp_get_private_ptr,
 	sk_tcp_set_frozen,
 	sk_tcp_socket_error
     };
@@ -1147,8 +1140,6 @@ Socket sk_newlistener(char *srcaddr, int port, Plug plug, int local_host_only,
 	sk_tcp_write_oob,
 	sk_tcp_write_eof,
 	sk_tcp_flush,
-	sk_tcp_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_tcp_get_private_ptr,
 	sk_tcp_set_frozen,
 	sk_tcp_socket_error
     };
@@ -1692,22 +1683,6 @@ int select_result(WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
     return 1;
 }
 
-/*
- * Each socket abstraction contains a `void *' private field in
- * which the client can keep state.
- */
-static void sk_tcp_set_private_ptr(Socket sock, void *ptr)
-{
-    Actual_Socket s = (Actual_Socket) sock;
-    s->private_ptr = ptr;
-}
-
-static void *sk_tcp_get_private_ptr(Socket sock)
-{
-    Actual_Socket s = (Actual_Socket) sock;
-    return s->private_ptr;
-}
-
 /*
  * Special error values are returned from sk_namelookup and sk_new
  * if there's a problem. These functions extract an error message,
diff --git a/windows/winnps.c b/windows/winnps.c
index 200ad62b..a0137367 100644
--- a/windows/winnps.c
+++ b/windows/winnps.c
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ struct Socket_named_pipe_server_tag {
     /* PuTTY Socket machinery */
     Plug plug;
     char *error;
-    void *privptr;
 };
 
 static Plug sk_namedpipeserver_plug(Socket s, Plug p)
@@ -66,18 +65,6 @@ static void sk_namedpipeserver_close(Socket s)
     sfree(ps);
 }
 
-static void sk_namedpipeserver_set_private_ptr(Socket s, void *ptr)
-{
-    Named_Pipe_Server_Socket ps = (Named_Pipe_Server_Socket) s;
-    ps->privptr = ptr;
-}
-
-static void *sk_namedpipeserver_get_private_ptr(Socket s)
-{
-    Named_Pipe_Server_Socket ps = (Named_Pipe_Server_Socket) s;
-    return ps->privptr;
-}
-
 static const char *sk_namedpipeserver_socket_error(Socket s)
 {
     Named_Pipe_Server_Socket ps = (Named_Pipe_Server_Socket) s;
@@ -217,8 +204,6 @@ Socket new_named_pipe_listener(const char *pipename, Plug plug)
 	NULL /* write_oob */,
         NULL /* write_eof */,
         NULL /* flush */,
-	sk_namedpipeserver_set_private_ptr,
-	sk_namedpipeserver_get_private_ptr,
         NULL /* set_frozen */,
 	sk_namedpipeserver_socket_error
     };
@@ -231,7 +216,6 @@ Socket new_named_pipe_listener(const char *pipename, Plug plug)
     ret->fn = &socket_fn_table;
     ret->plug = plug;
     ret->error = NULL;
-    ret->privptr = NULL;
     ret->psd = NULL;
     ret->pipename = dupstr(pipename);
     ret->networksid = NULL;