diff --git a/src/effects.cpp b/src/effects.cpp
index c3aadb95f1..23bf425a10 100644
--- a/src/effects.cpp
+++ b/src/effects.cpp
@@ -2281,16 +2281,6 @@ void EffectWindowImpl::closeWindow()
     }
 }
 
-void EffectWindowImpl::referencePreviousWindowPixmap()
-{
-    // TODO: Implement.
-}
-
-void EffectWindowImpl::unreferencePreviousWindowPixmap()
-{
-    // TODO: Implement.
-}
-
 bool EffectWindowImpl::isManaged() const
 {
     return managed;
diff --git a/src/effects.h b/src/effects.h
index 46ddae7c26..63fdcc95f3 100644
--- a/src/effects.h
+++ b/src/effects.h
@@ -479,9 +479,6 @@ public:
     void unminimize() override;
     void closeWindow() override;
 
-    void referencePreviousWindowPixmap() override;
-    void unreferencePreviousWindowPixmap() override;
-
     QWindow *internalWindow() const override;
 
     const Window *window() const;
diff --git a/src/libkwineffects/anidata.cpp b/src/libkwineffects/anidata.cpp
index 8f83aac0b9..d04e7b44d6 100644
--- a/src/libkwineffects/anidata.cpp
+++ b/src/libkwineffects/anidata.cpp
@@ -31,21 +31,6 @@ FullScreenEffectLock::~FullScreenEffectLock()
     effects->setActiveFullScreenEffect(nullptr);
 }
 
-PreviousWindowPixmapLock::PreviousWindowPixmapLock(EffectWindow *w)
-    : m_window(w)
-{
-    m_window->referencePreviousWindowPixmap();
-}
-
-PreviousWindowPixmapLock::~PreviousWindowPixmapLock()
-{
-    m_window->unreferencePreviousWindowPixmap();
-
-    // Add synthetic repaint to prevent glitches after cross-fading
-    // translucent windows.
-    effects->addRepaint(m_window->expandedGeometry().toAlignedRect());
-}
-
 AniData::AniData()
     : attribute(AnimationEffect::Opacity)
     , customCurve(0) // Linear
@@ -60,7 +45,7 @@ AniData::AniData()
 AniData::AniData(AnimationEffect::Attribute a, int meta_, const FPx2 &to_,
                  int delay, const FPx2 &from_, bool waitAtSource_,
                  FullScreenEffectLockPtr fullScreenEffectLock_, bool keepAlive,
-                 PreviousWindowPixmapLockPtr previousWindowPixmapLock_, GLShader *shader)
+                 GLShader *shader)
     : attribute(a)
     , from(from_)
     , to(to_)
@@ -70,7 +55,6 @@ AniData::AniData(AnimationEffect::Attribute a, int meta_, const FPx2 &to_,
     , fullScreenEffectLock(std::move(fullScreenEffectLock_))
     , waitAtSource(waitAtSource_)
     , keepAlive(keepAlive)
-    , previousWindowPixmapLock(std::move(previousWindowPixmapLock_))
     , shader(shader)
 {
 }
diff --git a/src/libkwineffects/anidata_p.h b/src/libkwineffects/anidata_p.h
index 77b1f2a72a..e20458b006 100644
--- a/src/libkwineffects/anidata_p.h
+++ b/src/libkwineffects/anidata_p.h
@@ -31,21 +31,6 @@ private:
 };
 typedef QSharedPointer<FullScreenEffectLock> FullScreenEffectLockPtr;
 
-/**
- * References the previous window pixmap to prevent discarding.
- */
-class PreviousWindowPixmapLock
-{
-public:
-    PreviousWindowPixmapLock(EffectWindow *w);
-    ~PreviousWindowPixmapLock();
-
-private:
-    EffectWindow *m_window;
-    Q_DISABLE_COPY(PreviousWindowPixmapLock)
-};
-typedef QSharedPointer<PreviousWindowPixmapLock> PreviousWindowPixmapLockPtr;
-
 class KWINEFFECTS_EXPORT AniData
 {
 public:
@@ -53,7 +38,7 @@ public:
     AniData(AnimationEffect::Attribute a, int meta, const FPx2 &to,
             int delay, const FPx2 &from, bool waitAtSource,
             FullScreenEffectLockPtr = FullScreenEffectLockPtr(),
-            bool keepAlive = true, PreviousWindowPixmapLockPtr previousWindowPixmapLock = {}, GLShader *shader = nullptr);
+            bool keepAlive = true, GLShader *shader = nullptr);
 
     bool isActive() const;
 
@@ -76,7 +61,6 @@ public:
     bool keepAlive;
     EffectWindowDeletedRef deletedRef;
     EffectWindowVisibleRef visibleRef;
-    PreviousWindowPixmapLockPtr previousWindowPixmapLock;
     AnimationEffect::TerminationFlags terminationFlags;
     GLShader *shader{nullptr};
 };
diff --git a/src/libkwineffects/kwinanimationeffect.cpp b/src/libkwineffects/kwinanimationeffect.cpp
index dcad5fc16f..1cb30d8062 100644
--- a/src/libkwineffects/kwinanimationeffect.cpp
+++ b/src/libkwineffects/kwinanimationeffect.cpp
@@ -232,7 +232,6 @@ quint64 AnimationEffect::p_animate(EffectWindow *w, Attribute a, uint meta, int
         }
     }
 
-    PreviousWindowPixmapLockPtr previousPixmap;
     if (a == CrossFadePrevious) {
         CrossFadeEffect::redirect(w);
     }
@@ -246,7 +245,6 @@ quint64 AnimationEffect::p_animate(EffectWindow *w, Attribute a, uint meta, int
         waitAtSource, // Whether the animation should be kept at source
         fullscreen, // Full screen effect lock
         keepAlive, // Keep alive flag
-        previousPixmap, // Previous window pixmap lock
         shader
         ));
 
diff --git a/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h b/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
index 4fd90680f8..2dea3ce4d9 100644
--- a/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
+++ b/src/libkwineffects/kwineffects.h
@@ -2654,35 +2654,6 @@ public:
     Q_SCRIPTABLE virtual void setData(int role, const QVariant &data) = 0;
     Q_SCRIPTABLE virtual QVariant data(int role) const = 0;
 
-    /**
-     * @brief References the previous window pixmap to prevent discarding.
-     *
-     * This method allows to reference the previous window pixmap in case that a window changed
-     * its size, which requires a new window pixmap. By referencing the previous (and then outdated)
-     * window pixmap an effect can for example cross fade the current window pixmap with the previous
-     * one. This allows for smoother transitions for window geometry changes.
-     *
-     * If an effect calls this method on a window it also needs to call unreferencePreviousWindowPixmap
-     * once it does no longer need the previous window pixmap.
-     *
-     * Note: the window pixmap is not kept forever even when referenced. If the geometry changes again, so that
-     * a new window pixmap is created, the previous window pixmap will be exchanged with the current one. This
-     * means it's still possible to have rendering glitches. An effect is supposed to track for itself the changes
-     * to the window's geometry and decide how the transition should continue in such a situation.
-     *
-     * @see unreferencePreviousWindowPixmap
-     * @since 4.11
-     */
-    virtual void referencePreviousWindowPixmap() = 0;
-    /**
-     * @brief Unreferences the previous window pixmap. Only relevant after referencePreviousWindowPixmap had
-     * been called.
-     *
-     * @see referencePreviousWindowPixmap
-     * @since 4.11
-     */
-    virtual void unreferencePreviousWindowPixmap() = 0;
-
 protected:
     friend EffectWindowVisibleRef;
     virtual void refVisible(const EffectWindowVisibleRef *holder) = 0;