diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.cpp b/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.cpp
index 9e577e87e8..50a081025c 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.cpp
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.cpp
@@ -371,19 +371,6 @@ bool GLTexture::isDirty() const
     return d->m_markedDirty;
 }
 
-void GLTexture::setTexture(GLuint texture)
-{
-    discard();
-    Q_D(GLTexture);
-    d->m_texture = texture;
-}
-
-void GLTexture::setTarget(GLenum target)
-{
-    Q_D(GLTexture);
-    d->m_target = target;
-}
-
 void GLTexture::setFilter(GLenum filter)
 {
     Q_D(GLTexture);
@@ -516,15 +503,4 @@ bool GLTexture::saturationSupported()
     return GLTexturePrivate::sSaturationSupported;
 }
 
-void GLTexture::release()
-{
-    Q_D(GLTexture);
-    d->release();
-}
-
-void GLTexturePrivate::release()
-{
-    // nothing to do because we are not bound to any specific data
-}
-
 } // namespace KWin
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.h b/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.h
index b913eca24e..ed24349af5 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwingltexture.h
@@ -72,30 +72,21 @@ public:
     virtual void discard();
     void bind();
     void unbind();
-    /**
-     * Release the data which is bound to the texture.
-     * @since 4.8
-     **/
-    void release();
     void render(QRegion region, const QRect& rect);
 
     GLuint texture() const;
     GLenum target() const;
     GLenum filter() const;
-    virtual bool isDirty() const;
-    void setTexture(GLuint texture);
-    void setTarget(GLenum target);
+    bool isDirty() const;
     void setFilter(GLenum filter);
     void setWrapMode(GLenum mode);
-    virtual void setDirty();
+    void setDirty();
 
     static bool NPOTTextureSupported();
     static bool framebufferObjectSupported();
     static bool saturationSupported();
 
 protected:
-    QImage convertToGLFormat(const QImage& img) const;
-
     QExplicitlySharedDataPointer<GLTexturePrivate> d_ptr;
     GLTexture(GLTexturePrivate& dd);
 
diff --git a/libkwineffects/kwingltexture_p.h b/libkwineffects/kwingltexture_p.h
index 27c14db550..9675ec60ac 100644
--- a/libkwineffects/kwingltexture_p.h
+++ b/libkwineffects/kwingltexture_p.h
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ public:
 
     virtual void bind();
     virtual void unbind();
-    virtual void release();
     virtual void onDamage();
 
     QImage convertToGLFormat(const QImage& img) const;
diff --git a/scene_opengl.h b/scene_opengl.h
index 57d9c0f162..ca6d0cf179 100644
--- a/scene_opengl.h
+++ b/scene_opengl.h
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ public:
     TexturePrivate();
     virtual ~TexturePrivate();
 
-    virtual void release();
     virtual void onDamage();
 
 #ifndef KWIN_HAVE_OPENGLES
diff --git a/scene_opengl_egl.cpp b/scene_opengl_egl.cpp
index 5c3ed6e3eb..986800679e 100644
--- a/scene_opengl_egl.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl_egl.cpp
@@ -248,10 +248,6 @@ void SceneOpenGL::Texture::findTarget()
     d->m_target = GL_TEXTURE_2D;
 }
 
-void SceneOpenGL::TexturePrivate::release()
-{
-}
-
 bool SceneOpenGL::Texture::load(const Pixmap& pix, const QSize& size,
                                 int depth, QRegion region)
 {
diff --git a/scene_opengl_glx.cpp b/scene_opengl_glx.cpp
index 1818d7a5f4..1c6b23590d 100644
--- a/scene_opengl_glx.cpp
+++ b/scene_opengl_glx.cpp
@@ -606,11 +606,6 @@ SceneOpenGL::TexturePrivate::TexturePrivate()
 }
 
 SceneOpenGL::TexturePrivate::~TexturePrivate()
-{
-    release();
-}
-
-void SceneOpenGL::TexturePrivate::release()
 {
     if (m_glxpixmap != None) {
         if (!options->glStrictBinding) {