diff --git a/http-push.c b/http-push.c
index 439a555a72..395a8cfc10 100644
--- a/http-push.c
+++ b/http-push.c
@@ -1551,7 +1551,7 @@ static int remote_exists(const char *path)
 		ret = 0;
 		break;
 	case HTTP_ERROR:
-		http_error(url);
+		error("unable to access '%s': %s", url, curl_errorstr);
 	default:
 		ret = -1;
 	}
diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index 64068a2fc7..58c063c91b 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -941,11 +941,6 @@ cleanup:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-void http_error(const char *url)
-{
-	error("unable to access '%s': %s", url, curl_errorstr);
-}
-
 int http_fetch_ref(const char *base, struct ref *ref)
 {
 	char *url;
diff --git a/http.h b/http.h
index fa65128f9e..4dc53531ae 100644
--- a/http.h
+++ b/http.h
@@ -135,11 +135,6 @@ extern char *get_remote_object_url(const char *url, const char *hex,
  */
 int http_get_strbuf(const char *url, struct strbuf *content_type, struct strbuf *result, int options);
 
-/*
- * Prints an error message using error() containing url and curl_errorstr.
- */
-void http_error(const char *url);
-
 extern int http_fetch_ref(const char *base, struct ref *ref);
 
 /* Helpers for fetching packs */