diff --git a/tools/perf/util/include/linux/kernel.h b/tools/perf/util/include/linux/kernel.h
index d8c927c868ee..9844c31b7c2b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/include/linux/kernel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/include/linux/kernel.h
@@ -94,12 +94,6 @@ static inline int scnprintf(char * buf, size_t size, const char * fmt, ...)
 	return (i >= ssize) ? (ssize - 1) : i;
 }
 
-static inline unsigned long
-simple_strtoul(const char *nptr, char **endptr, int base)
-{
-	return strtoul(nptr, endptr, base);
-}
-
 int eprintf(int level,
 	    const char *fmt, ...) __attribute__((format(printf, 2, 3)));