diff --git a/include/libweston/libweston.h b/include/libweston/libweston.h
index 09bc8bdd..58097205 100644
--- a/include/libweston/libweston.h
+++ b/include/libweston/libweston.h
@@ -929,9 +929,6 @@ struct weston_renderer {
 	void (*flush_damage)(struct weston_surface *surface,
 			     struct weston_buffer *buffer);
 	void (*attach)(struct weston_surface *es, struct weston_buffer *buffer);
-	void (*surface_set_color)(struct weston_surface *surface,
-			       float red, float green,
-			       float blue, float alpha);
 	void (*destroy)(struct weston_compositor *ec);
 
 	/** See weston_surface_get_content_size() */
@@ -1977,10 +1974,6 @@ struct weston_view_animation *
 weston_slide_run(struct weston_view *view, float start, float stop,
 		 weston_view_animation_done_func_t done, void *data);
 
-void
-weston_surface_set_color(struct weston_surface *surface,
-			 float red, float green, float blue, float alpha);
-
 void
 weston_surface_destroy(struct weston_surface *surface);
 
diff --git a/libweston/compositor.c b/libweston/compositor.c
index 2a84d56e..50598ef3 100644
--- a/libweston/compositor.c
+++ b/libweston/compositor.c
@@ -630,14 +630,6 @@ weston_surface_create(struct weston_compositor *compositor)
 	return surface;
 }
 
-WL_EXPORT void
-weston_surface_set_color(struct weston_surface *surface,
-		 float red, float green, float blue, float alpha)
-{
-	surface->compositor->renderer->surface_set_color(surface, red, green, blue, alpha);
-	surface->is_opaque = !(alpha < 1.0);
-}
-
 WL_EXPORT void
 weston_view_to_global_float(struct weston_view *view,
 			    float sx, float sy, float *x, float *y)
diff --git a/libweston/noop-renderer.c b/libweston/noop-renderer.c
index a7a1d5df..a105595f 100644
--- a/libweston/noop-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/noop-renderer.c
@@ -96,12 +96,6 @@ noop_renderer_attach(struct weston_surface *es, struct weston_buffer *buffer)
 	buffer->height = height;
 }
 
-static void
-noop_renderer_surface_set_color(struct weston_surface *surface,
-		 float red, float green, float blue, float alpha)
-{
-}
-
 static void
 noop_renderer_destroy(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 {
@@ -122,7 +116,6 @@ noop_renderer_init(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 	renderer->repaint_output = noop_renderer_repaint_output;
 	renderer->flush_damage = noop_renderer_flush_damage;
 	renderer->attach = noop_renderer_attach;
-	renderer->surface_set_color = noop_renderer_surface_set_color;
 	renderer->destroy = noop_renderer_destroy;
 	ec->renderer = renderer;
 
diff --git a/libweston/pixman-renderer.c b/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
index 361ffa61..636d9d91 100644
--- a/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/pixman-renderer.c
@@ -881,7 +881,6 @@ pixman_renderer_init(struct weston_compositor *ec)
 	renderer->base.repaint_output = pixman_renderer_repaint_output;
 	renderer->base.flush_damage = pixman_renderer_flush_damage;
 	renderer->base.attach = pixman_renderer_attach;
-	renderer->base.surface_set_color = pixman_renderer_surface_set_color;
 	renderer->base.destroy = pixman_renderer_destroy;
 	renderer->base.surface_get_content_size =
 		pixman_renderer_surface_get_content_size;
diff --git a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
index 557c0c1d..b29b4ad3 100644
--- a/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
+++ b/libweston/renderer-gl/gl-renderer.c
@@ -3733,7 +3733,6 @@ gl_renderer_display_create(struct weston_compositor *ec,
 	gr->base.repaint_output = gl_renderer_repaint_output;
 	gr->base.flush_damage = gl_renderer_flush_damage;
 	gr->base.attach = gl_renderer_attach;
-	gr->base.surface_set_color = gl_renderer_surface_set_color;
 	gr->base.destroy = gl_renderer_destroy;
 	gr->base.surface_get_content_size =
 		gl_renderer_surface_get_content_size;