diff --git a/quote.c b/quote.c
index b9f6bdc775..235fac8e47 100644
--- a/quote.c
+++ b/quote.c
@@ -171,9 +171,7 @@ char *sq_dequote(char *arg)
 	return sq_dequote_step(arg, NULL);
 }
 
-static int sq_dequote_to_argv_internal(char *arg,
-				       const char ***argv, int *nr, int *alloc,
-				       struct strvec *array)
+int sq_dequote_to_strvec(char *arg, struct strvec *array)
 {
 	char *next = arg;
 
@@ -191,27 +189,12 @@ static int sq_dequote_to_argv_internal(char *arg,
 				c = *++next;
 			} while (isspace(c));
 		}
-		if (argv) {
-			ALLOC_GROW(*argv, *nr + 1, *alloc);
-			(*argv)[(*nr)++] = dequoted;
-		}
-		if (array)
-			strvec_push(array, dequoted);
+		strvec_push(array, dequoted);
 	} while (next);
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int sq_dequote_to_argv(char *arg, const char ***argv, int *nr, int *alloc)
-{
-	return sq_dequote_to_argv_internal(arg, argv, nr, alloc, NULL);
-}
-
-int sq_dequote_to_strvec(char *arg, struct strvec *array)
-{
-	return sq_dequote_to_argv_internal(arg, NULL, NULL, NULL, array);
-}
-
 /* 1 means: quote as octal
  * 0 means: quote as octal if (quote_path_fully)
  * -1 means: never quote
diff --git a/quote.h b/quote.h
index 0300c29104..989f2388c0 100644
--- a/quote.h
+++ b/quote.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define QUOTE_H
 
 struct strbuf;
+struct strvec;
 
 extern int quote_path_fully;
 
@@ -67,17 +68,10 @@ char *sq_dequote_step(char *src, char **next);
 
 /*
  * Same as the above, but can be used to unwrap many arguments in the
- * same string separated by space. Like sq_quote, it works in place,
- * modifying arg and appending pointers into it to argv.
+ * same string separated by space. The strvec will duplicate and take
+ * ownership of the strings, but note that "arg" is still modified in-place
+ * during parsing.
  */
-int sq_dequote_to_argv(char *arg, const char ***argv, int *nr, int *alloc);
-
-/*
- * Same as above, but store the unquoted strings in a strvec. We will
- * still modify arg in place, but unlike sq_dequote_to_argv, the strvec
- * will duplicate and take ownership of the strings.
- */
-struct strvec;
 int sq_dequote_to_strvec(char *arg, struct strvec *);
 
 int unquote_c_style(struct strbuf *, const char *quoted, const char **endp);