diff --git a/net.c b/net.c
index 029b0d79bd..28b6b43a94 100644
--- a/net.c
+++ b/net.c
@@ -1187,26 +1187,6 @@ void net_host_device_remove(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
     qemu_del_vlan_client(vc);
 }
 
-void net_set_boot_mask(int net_boot_mask)
-{
-    int i;
-
-    /* Only the first four NICs may be bootable */
-    net_boot_mask = net_boot_mask & 0xF;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < nb_nics; i++) {
-        if (net_boot_mask & (1 << i)) {
-            nd_table[i].bootable = 1;
-            net_boot_mask &= ~(1 << i);
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (net_boot_mask) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Cannot boot from non-existent NIC\n");
-        exit(1);
-    }
-}
-
 void do_info_network(Monitor *mon)
 {
     VLANState *vlan;
diff --git a/net.h b/net.h
index 673b3554d8..209431dd04 100644
--- a/net.h
+++ b/net.h
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ int net_client_parse(QemuOptsList *opts_list, const char *str);
 int net_init_clients(void);
 void net_check_clients(void);
 void net_cleanup(void);
-void net_set_boot_mask(int boot_mask);
 void net_host_device_add(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void net_host_device_remove(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 425bb4b6fb..6b6e86d69a 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4851,7 +4851,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     const char *gdbstub_dev = NULL;
     uint32_t boot_devices_bitmap = 0;
     int i;
-    int snapshot, linux_boot, net_boot;
+    int snapshot, linux_boot;
     const char *initrd_filename;
     const char *kernel_filename, *kernel_cmdline;
     char boot_devices[33] = "cad"; /* default to HD->floppy->CD-ROM */
@@ -5850,9 +5850,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    net_boot = (boot_devices_bitmap >> ('n' - 'a')) & 0xF;
-    net_set_boot_mask(net_boot);
-
     /* init the bluetooth world */
     if (foreach_device_config(DEV_BT, bt_parse))
         exit(1);