diff --git a/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp b/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp
index 395e9e08c51..7c3271d8eab 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp
+++ b/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp
@@ -2216,13 +2216,6 @@ MakefileGenerator::writeDefaultVariables(QTextStream &t)
     t << "MOVE          = " << var("QMAKE_MOVE") << endl;
 }
 
-QString MakefileGenerator::fixifySpecdir(const QString &spec, const QString &outdir)
-{
-    if (QFileInfo(spec).isAbsolute())
-        return fileFixify(spec, outdir);
-    return spec;
-}
-
 QString MakefileGenerator::buildArgs()
 {
     QString ret;
diff --git a/qmake/generators/makefile.h b/qmake/generators/makefile.h
index 41a4b9103a6..081bc231244 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/makefile.h
+++ b/qmake/generators/makefile.h
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ protected:
 
     //subclasses can use these to query information about how the generator was "run"
     QString buildArgs();
-    QString fixifySpecdir(const QString &spec, const QString &outdir);
 
     virtual QStringList &findDependencies(const QString &file);
     virtual bool doDepends() const { return Option::mkfile::do_deps; }