diff --git a/src/detect-engine-alert.c b/src/detect-engine-alert.c
index 7cce2a70da..2a4353670d 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-alert.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine-alert.c
@@ -55,11 +55,6 @@ void PacketAlertTagInit(void)
     g_tag_pa.s = &g_tag_signature;
 }
 
-PacketAlert *PacketAlertGetTag(void)
-{
-    return &g_tag_pa;
-}
-
 /**
  * \brief Handle a packet and check if needs a threshold logic
  *        Also apply rule action if necessary.
diff --git a/src/detect-engine-alert.h b/src/detect-engine-alert.h
index ee940c5869..14f5b72ae2 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-alert.h
+++ b/src/detect-engine-alert.h
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ void AlertQueueAppend(DetectEngineThreadCtx *det_ctx, const Signature *s, Packet
 void PacketAlertFinalize(DetectEngineCtx *, DetectEngineThreadCtx *, Packet *);
 int PacketAlertCheck(Packet *, uint32_t);
 void PacketAlertTagInit(void);
-PacketAlert *PacketAlertGetTag(void);
 void DetectEngineAlertRegisterTests(void);
 
 #endif /* __DETECT_ENGINE_ALERT_H__ */